Have a Nice Day!
by Akasha617
Summary: News travels fast in the Burg, as Steph is reminded. But it's usually not this shocking...Babe story, Morelli friendly.
1. When the world gets in my FACE

This story has been begging me to write it for a while now. Thanks to Stayce for encouraging me to get it off my chest!

This is a Babe story, Morelli friendly

The review whore in me appreciates any and all feedback

As usual, the title is a favorite Bon Jovi song of mine, not related to the story.

A great big THANK YOU! to Stayce for editing, commenting and pulling it in the right direction.

* * *

Have A Nice Day

Chapter 1

Why the hell could I never remember to turn my damned phone off, or better yet, pull the fucking plug out of the wall? Being a Jersey Girl had many advantages, but one of the drawbacks was that a ringing phone could wake me up from the deepest sleep. As soon as you entered puberty, you're like Pavlov's dog. Because you never know what you're going to miss if you don't answer.

I'd been fighting this instinct unsuccessfully since I became a bounty hunter because now instead of girlfriends and possible beaus, the caller was usually my mom or some crazy stalker. And they had a habit of calling at all hours of the day, like seven in the morning, or some equally ungodly hour. And since I had an answering machine, I never missed anything important anymore.

I groaned and buried my head under the pillow. Even through my closed eyes, I could tell it was daylight. Not surprising, since I'd gotten to bed about four in the morning after an all night stakeout with Lula. At least the night had had a happy end, I'd nabbed the FTA I'd been chasing for a week. Vincent deLuca was now in the charge of the Trenton PD and I only had to turn in his body receipt to collect my $700. It would pay my rent this month.

Whatever time it was now, it was too early for me to get up. But the phone kept ringing. Why didn't the stupid answering machine pick up already?

Oh right, I remembered turning it off the day before because Phil Angino wouldn't stop calling. I'd bumped into him at Gioviccini's the other day and he just had to tell me he was back in town after leaving Trenton shortly after our high school graduation and wouldn't I like to go out with him. He still gave me involuntary shivers. Long story, don't ask.

I groaned again, sat up in bed and shook my head to clear the last cobwebs of sleep from it. Then I got up and shuffled towards the kitchen counter where the phone sat. There was no sign of Rex in his cage, he was buried deep within his pine shavings in his soup can. No Jersey Girl in him, apparently. There's a lot we can learn from hamsters.

"Hello," I managed, swiping my wild curls back from my face. I had an idea what I looked like, since I'd gotten to bed without taking off my mascara or braiding my hair like my mom had told me to: I looked like a scarecrow.

"IS IT YOU????? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME????" a voice screeched into my ear so loudly, I had to hold the receiver at arm's length to stop the pain in my ear.

It took me a second to process the questions and to identify the caller. "Is what me, Connie?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Missy, you know exactly what I'm talking about. You have some nerve not to tell me first, I tell you that. How long were you planning on keeping it a secret, huh?"

Connie's voice was a few decibels lower but still at yelling level. I squinted at the clock on the microwave, it was almost nine.

"I have no idea, what you're talking about," I said. Boy, truer words were never spoken.

"Are you serious?" Connie asked.

"Is what me, Connie? Why didn't I tell you what?" I repeated, running out of patience fast.

"Oh," she said. "I…uhm…just assumed…" Connie stammered.

I sighed. "Can we talk about this later? I was up all night getting DeLuca and…"  
"Sure, sure," she said a little too fast. "I'll be here if you need to talk."

"Connie, what…" but Connie had hung up.

I stared at the dead phone in my hand for a moment, utterly confused. What the hell?

As I placed the receiver back into its cradle, I ran the options through my head. I knew my parents and grandmother were fine, if anything had happened to one of them, the others would have called. And if something had happened to all of them, one of my cop friends would have called. If anything had happened to Joe or Ranger, Carl Costanza or RangeMan would have called. Come to think of it, Connie's voice hadn't had the 'unspeakable disaster' kind of tone, as far as I'd been able to tell in her hysteric voice.

I mulled it over as I filled the coffee maker with water and coffee, turned it on and shuffled into the bathroom. No thought of sleep, I was definitely wide awake now.

Connie had sounded 'hot new gossip, latest and greatest news' kind of way. Like she would sound if Joyce Barnhard had an std or something.

And she'd thought I was in the center of it. Of what?? This definitely had my full attention now.

Was I on the front page of the Trenton Times again? No, she would have asked if it was true, not if it was me in that case. So what was it? I had to find out. Curiosity already had me in a state.  
By the time I arrived at the bonds office, my head hurt from trying to come up with any and all possibilities.

I parked a few doors down in the first available slot at the curb and locked my car. Less than a minute later, I barreled through the front door and didn't stop until I was standing right in front of Connie's desk.

She was so surprised, she dropped the nail polish brush she'd been holding and blood red paint smudged over the file on her desk.

"Is what me?" I demanded.

Vinnie's office door opened and he poked his head out. "Didn't think you'd have it in you, Steph, I gotta tell you. Don't expect any special treatment from now on though." And he slammed his door shut again.

Huh?

I swiveled my head back into Connie's direction. "Is _what_ me?" I asked for the hundredth time.

Connie's cheeks turned bright red and she lowered her eyes. "Oh, look at this mess, give me a sec…"  
I grabbed her wrist midair as she was trying to pick the brush up. "Connie, so help me God, if you don't tell me right now I'm gonna shake it out of you."

She didn't meet my eyes. Taking a deep breath, she freed her hand form my grip and rubbed it absentmindedly.

"Steph, I'm really sorry. You were the first…well, the only one actually, that I thought of. I didn't mean for you to hear it from me, I just thought…I was so sure…."

I shoved my hands into my jeans pockets to keep from strangling her. I tried to count to ten but that didn't make a difference, I was still a tightly coiled spring. Connie had less than ten seconds to live unless she told me right the fuck now.

"WHAT?" I screamed, pretty much matching her tone from the phone call.

Conne shrank back and her eyes widened as she finally looked at me.

"Ranger is engaged."

Huh? What? "Engaged in what?" I demanded.

_That_ was her big news? That Ranger was in the wind on some contract or other, probably liberating a small South American country? I was used to him leaving for days or weeks, coming back looking a little worse for the wear sometimes, but never even hinting at where he'd been. No big deal.

Now Connie frowned and looked at me with an expression I could only classify as pity.

"Engaged to be married," she almost whispered.

TBC

* * *

A/N: I know it's short but I really wanted to end it at that point, you can see why. But what do you think it's all about? A nasty rumor? A belated April Fool's Day joke? Is Steph dreaming? Let me know what you think!


	2. Mama, can you help me try to understand!

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Vielen lieben Dank to Stayce, my fantabulous editor and friend!

This chapter wrote itself practically, and chapter 1 was so short, I thought you deserved more, so I'm posting it today. I don't know how much longer the muse will stay, don't get used to the new schedule...LOL

* * *

Chapter 2

Mama, can you help me try to understand!

It was one of those moments where you could hear a pin drop. I could hear the ticking of Vinnie's clock in his office, the gurgle of the water cooler, the hum of the AC, because I was holding my breath. And Connie was holding her breath too, waiting for my reaction.

I must have heard wrong, I decided. Connie had whispered, after all.

'What?' I meant to ask, but only a croaking sound came out of my mouth. I cleared my throat and tried again. "What?"

Connie pushed her chair back a couple feet and bit her lip. The urge to strangle her was back.

Vinnie yanked his door open again. "He's getting hitched," he said. "Probably knocked up a catholic girl, is my guess."

Connie sucked in a breath, her mouth hanging open. "Vin…" she started, but he had already shut the door behind him again.

She shook her head disapprovingly. "I'm so sorry you had to find out this way, I'm real sorry, it's just that…"  
I held up a hand to stop her, closing my eyes. I don't remember taking steps back, but when the back of my knees hit the couch I practically collapsed onto it.

"Ranger is engaged?" I asked, stunned.

Connie just nodded, watching me closely.

"As in getting married?"

She nodded again.

I just sat silent for a long moment, waiting for my heart beat to slow down.

Engaged? Ranger?? Wait a minute…I suddenly realized I hadn't asked the most important question!

"How do you know?"

I looked up at Connie just as she was turning tomato red. She bit her lip again and studied her fingernails.

"Connie? How do you know?"

I was getting over my initial shock and now I was becoming suspicious. Was this Connie's idea of a practical joke, one she got Vinnie to play along with? Maybe it was her way of getting me to admit my feelings for Ranger?

I sighed. That's what it was, for sure. Oh, this was so not funny. What the fuck? Friends don't trick each other just because one of them is in denial! Connie knew I loved Ranger, even though I never said it out loud to her, I was an open book whenever he was around.

I narrowed my eyes at Connie, but there wasn't even a hint of a 'Gotcha!' grin on her face, she was still blushing every shade of red. Which didn't make sense either, now that I thought about it.

"What are you _not_ telling me?" I asked, my suspicion in control over my shock now.

Connie was still studying her hands.

"Connie? Come on, you have to tell me! Did you make it up? Were you just pulling my leg?"

Funny, if Connie would have laughed and yelled 'Gotcha!' at that point, I would have totally forgiven her. Maybe later I would have been angry, but right then, I would have been too relieved to care.

But she didn't. She finally looked up and met my glare. "I'm sort of seeing a guy."

I blinked, completely confused now. Was she trying to change the subject?

"Connie if you're trying to…"

Connie interrupted me. "I didn't tell anyone because it's kind of embarrassing, he's a lot younger than I am and…"

"What the hell are you talking about?" I wanted to know.

If she was going for a distraction, it wasn't working, and I was all out of patience.

"That's what I'm tryin' to tell you!" Connie said and now she stood up to pace in the little space behind her desk. "I'm 35, he's 28. You know how I always said I'd never date a younger guy?"

I took a deep breath and heaved myself off the couch. "You know what, Connie, I…"

"I'm getting to it," Connie protested. "That's who I heard it from!"  
"Who?" I asked.

"Hal," Connie said with a sigh.

She wasn't making any sense. "Connie, if you made it up, that's OK, you can tell me."

"I wasn't," Connie said. "I'm confessing here. I'm dating Hal and he told me."

Whoa, what? "What??"

She plopped back down in her chair. "Hal. RangeMan Hal. We're kinda seeing each other. There, I said it."

A while ago, my laptop crashed. All of a sudden, the little icons were gone and instead there was a royal blue screen with some gobbledygook on the screen. Right now I felt like that computer. Input overload.

"Ranger is engaged to Hal?" OK, as soon as that was out of my mouth I realized I was talking nonsense now.

"What?" It was Connie's turn to be confused.

She got up from her chair and sat down next to me. "OK, do-over. I am dating Hal and he told me Ranger got engaged over the weekend." She put her hand on my knee and squeezed it lightly. "Am I making more sense?"

"Oh," I said when her words sank in.

Not a joke then. And not Burg gossip. Hal was one of Ranger's men, a Halosaurus kind of a man. He wouldn't spread rumors about Ranger unless he didn't care much for his job. Or his life.

I was clinging to one last straw. "You sure you heard him right? Maybe he meant Ranger was engaged in a new mission or something?"

Who knows what he and Connie had been doing at the time, her mind may have been totally elsewhere. Oh, I so didn't want to go there.

"I'm sure," Connie said. "I know because I asked him about three times if it was true. He wouldn't tell me who he was engaged to, I think he didn't know, but he knew for sure Ranger is engaged to be married. To a girl, a woman, well you know, the real kind of engaged."

She was babbling nervously now and I think she noticed and made herself shut up.

"And you thought I was the lucky bride?" I asked.

She nodded. "You were the only one I could think of and I was so mad you hadn't told me."

"And you're seeing Hal," I said.

Connie nodded again, again watching me carefully. Probably she was waiting for a breakdown or something.

I snorted, shaking my head. It just couldn't be true. Probably dating a Merry Man was the best she could come up with because she new it held water, so she fibbed about that part. "I changed my mind. If this is a joke, I don't think it's funny and I will be pissed at you into the next century."

"I didn't think it was funny," Connie said. "I didn't mean to tell you _that_ way, I didn't want to be the one to tell you. And trust me, I would have never told you about Hal, you have to promise not to tell a soul."

"I won't tell no one," Vinnie yelled from his office, which got Connie to stomp off to her desk and search it for bugs.

That gave me some time to think it over. I believed her. I didn't want to, but I knew Connie. If she'd made it up, she would have burst out laughing a minute into it. She didn't have much of a poker face, probably why she wasn't in the family business. So that meant…it was…true?

And why should that shock me so much that I was numb? What did I care, right? It's not like we were dating or something. It wasn't like I was in love with him or anything, right?

I sighed. It was exactly like that, and I couldn't deny it any longer. I'd admitted to myself that I loved him, but now I knew I was _in_ love with Ranger. Sometimes I just needed a big whack on the head to see the truth, what can I say? And as far as whacks go, they didn't come much bigger than this.

Connie finally found the bug stuck to the bottom of the pencil holder, pried it off and smashed it under her pump heel.

Vinnie stormed out of his office. "What are you doing? These things don't just grow on trees you know?" He was gesturing wildly as if somehow, he was the wronged party here. "I'm gonna dock your week's pay for this, just watch me!"

"Stop bugging the goddamned office and I won't have to smash your bugs anymore," Connie told him and gave him the finger for good measure. "You don't pay me, I won't come back. I can find another job like that!" She snapped her fingers and glared at Vinnie, daring him to say any more.

It was a great distraction. As long as I could watch them, I didn't have to think about Ranger. And this was better than TV, it was my own personal show.

Vinnie turned red with anger and looked like he was thinking about telling her to go ahead and leave, but then he obviously changed his mind because he turned on his heel and stormed back into his office, slamming the door behind him.

"Little prick," Connie grumbled and disposed of the destroyed gizmo in her waste basket.

"Great, by dinner, the whole Burg will now I'm robbing the cradle," she said and took her place behind her desk again. "Just what I needed."

She smoothed her skirt and came back over to me. "You okay, Steph?"

"Sure, why wouldn't I be?" I asked her, trying to put a blank face on.

"You're looking kinda pale," she said.

Damn, how come every man in my life can pull off a perfect blank face, you can never tell what they're thinking, and all my face does is turn colors.

"I haven't had any coffee," I lied. "I'm not really awake yet. I'm going to get us some coffee and donuts." I jumped off the couch and grabbed my shoulder bag. "I'll be back in no time!"

I was going for chipper, hoping I could at least fool Connie to get out of the office and back into my bed under the covers. I wanted to pinch myself and wake up safe in my bed.

"Are you sure you…" Connie started but then her eyes fixed on a spot behind me. "Oh boy."

Just from her reaction, I knew who was just about to enter the bonds office. And if he was this close, he'd seen me. If I tried real hard, I could maybe fool Connie. No way in hell could I make Ranger think I was OK, no matter how good a liar I was.

Shit!

TBC

* * *

A/N: So, what do you think? Will Ranger tell Stephanie himself? Will Steph let on that she knows? Will Steph find the courage to tell him how she really feels??


	3. Take a look around you

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them! If I didn't get to respond to your review, I apologize, I did appreciate your feedback!

Hartelijk bedankt Stayce, I couldn't have done this without you!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't'. Sadly.

* * *

Chapter 3

Take a look around you, nothing´s what it seems

The door opened and I took a deep breath. There was no way to avoid this confrontation, and if I really wanted the truth, this was the best way to get it, right? I didn't need to turn around to know it was Ranger, the air in the room seemed to change and the hair at the back of my neck stood up; my own Ranger radar. Yup, confrontation time.  
My problem was, I didn't know if I wanted the truth. What if Ranger really was engaged? What if he was going to get married?

That meant that all the lines he'd been feeding me over the years, about not being relationship material, about his love coming with a condom, not a ring, had all been bullshit. It meant that his life _did_ lend itself to a relationship, just not to a relationship with _me_. I wasn't ready for that kind of truth.

"Steph," Ranger said with a slight nod as he walked past me and dropped a file on Connie's desk.

Connie made a weird strangled noise; she had the deer-in-headlight look and was completely frozen.

Ranger looked from her to me. "Something wrong?"

He looked breathtaking in his usual black on black, his cargo pants stuffed into his boots and his t-shirt tight over his chest, his long black hair tied into a pony tail. I couldn't meet his eyes as I bit back a sigh and closed my eyes for a beat.

Then I took another deep breath and squared my shoulders. "Can I talk to you outside?"

I was proud it had come out without the slightest tremble in my voice. It had sounded a lot calmer than I felt.  
Connie made a squeaking sound like a crushed mouse, I knew how she felt. I didn't wait for Ranger's answer but just stalked towards the door on legs that felt like lead and wrenched the door open.

I walked out the door and towards the alley next to the bonds office blindly, with no idea how I was going to start it. What was I going to say? What did I want to know?

Careful what you wish for, I thought, you might get it and hate it. Ranger had never lied to me.

"What's wrong?" Ranger asked from directly behind me.

I jumped a foot in the air and yelped, completely startled. "You scared me!" I accused him.

"Babe," was his predictable answer.

I pretended to catch my breath from the surprise, just to get another minute to gather my thoughts and hopefully come up with something to say that didn't sound totally hysterical or pathetic.

My mind was racing. How to start? Should I play it all cool, 'I hear congratulations are in order'?

In theory, I could be so calm and cool, but I knew I could never say anything remotely like it with Ranger inches from me.

To tell the truth, the Jersey Girl in me wanted to scream and stomp and demand answers, right the fuck now, don't even try to avoid the subject. But I was afraid I'd start crying halfway through that speech.

Ranger was now looking at me, I knew I'd find his eyes boring into mine if I lifted my stare up from his chest, but I couldn't.

I was shaking, and trying to hold back the tears. Fury, pain, confusion, I was feeling it all.

Then my mouth just took over. "Is it true?"

No answer. I guess he was still waiting for me to meet his eyes.

Okay, I decided, I could do this. I pressed my lips together, closed my eyes for a second and then opened them to look at him. I thought I saw pain in his eyes, but the moment passed and now his face was expressionless, the blank face.

"Yes," he said.

Just that one word.

I guess I should have been grateful he didn't try to hedge with 'Is what true?' or something like that, the way I would probably stall. I should have known he knew what I was talking about. And like I said, he'd never lied to me.

His answer was like a punch in the gut. I felt like the air had been knocked out of me, black dots were dancing across my vision and I sagged back against the brick wall.

I was staring at the floor and wanted nothing more than to run out of the alley, run anywhere, just away from Ranger.

I hadn't expected my reaction. It felt like Ranger had ripped my heart out and stomped on it while it was beating its last beats. I couldn't breathe. I made myself take a breath, it felt like the air was suddenly like jell-o, I had to force it down into my lungs.

"Do you…" I swallowed a sob and tried again, "Do you have anything to say to me?"

It was the best I could do; it was hard to get any words out at all.

"No," he said.

I nodded, though definitely not because I understood or agreed, numbness started settling over me. I wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball and cry.

But not in front of Ranger!

Oh no, there was some pride left, and I wouldn't let him see me cry over him.

"I should go then," I croaked.

"Babe," Ranger said and tried to take my hand.

I pulled it back frantically, hitting my elbow on the wall, hard, and the pain brought some of my senses back.

"Don't," I pressed out and tried to leave.

I was afraid that if he touched me, I'd fall into his arms and cling to him, holding on for dear life.

Unfortunately my legs wouldn't move. It was like they were cemented to the ground.

But I had to get away! If there was one thing I could definitely not stand it was the 'It's not you, it's me' speech or some version of it, that he undoubtedly was getting ready to make.

I had to get away from him while I still had the strength to hold back my tears.

"I have to go," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I never meant to hurt you," Ranger said.

That was it, the kiss of death. As much as I had tried to steel myself for a flowery phrase like that, I couldn't hold back the tears. I made my legs move and stalked away from him, tears now flowing freely, jerking my arm out of his reach as he tried to hold on to it. I never looked back.

I found my car, unlocked it, got in and started it without taking a breath. I was lucky I didn't hit anyone as I pulled away from the curb, trying to see through my curtain of tears. I didn't look around to check if Ranger was following me, I didn't care. I just had to get away. When my cell phone rang, I ignored it, there was no one I wanted to talk to.

I drove home on auto pilot. Looking back, it was good timing, since rush hour was over and traffic was as low as it ever got in Trenton, not that I cared.

I tried to reason with myself, trying to tell myself that Ranger was a free man, he'd never promised me anything, and I'd never told him how I felt about him. It was only a matter of time until some lucky girl snatched him up, right?

I closed my front door behind me and slumped down to the floor.

Did I really expect to be that lucky girl? If I was honest, I had to admit I'd believed his spiel, that he wasn't ready for a commitment and I had as much of him as he was ever going to give. And maybe, just maybe, one day he'd be willing to give me more.

I never even thought of another woman, he'd never mentioned anyone and no one had ever seen him with anyone, he was supposed to be single until he was ready for a relationship with me, dammit! Only, I'd never told him, had I? I never flat out said I was ready for a relationship, and was willing to take whaterver he has to offer, did I?

I was going to have to talk to him, I realized, get the full story and make sure we were really talking about the same thing. What if he was actually fixing to ship out to Somalia or something and that was what he thought I'd heard? Maybe he thought he'd hurt me by not telling me himself he'd be in the wind for months and months? It was a possibility, right?

But not now.

There was no way I could talk to him the way I felt now. I had to calm down first to be able to listen to him.

I unplugged my home phone and turned off my cell phone, then I took a long shower until I ran out of hot water and wrapped myself in my fluffy bathrobe.

I was all out of ice cream, but I had two beers left in the fridge, and now I grabbed one of them and plopped down on the couch with it.

While I meant to think about it all rationally, I found I couldn't. Whenever I thought about the possibility that it was really true, that Ranger was going to get married, I started crying again. I had to distract myself, and the beer would have to do.

Unfortunately, two beers wouldn't get me into a drunken stupor, so I rummaged through my cupboards until I found half a bottle of tequila, left over from the last girls' night. It wouldn't solve any problems, but it might get me to forget about them for a while, I decided, and took a swig straight form the bottle.

With any luck, I'd pass out and wake up to find it had all been a dream.

TBC

* * *

A/N: Poor Steph! How long do you think her pity party will last? Will she be able to pick herself up, brush herself off, and start all over again? She survived Dickie, she survived Joe ... will she be able to survive Ranger?


	4. Oh, if there's one thing to hang on to

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

Thanks a million for all your wonderful reviews, I'm sorry if I didn't get a chance to thank you in person.

Merci beaucoup to Stayce, my wonderful editor who helps me more than she knows.

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

* * *

Chapter 4

Oh, if there is one thing I hang on to

When I'd finished the second and last beer and my third crying jag, I felt nauseous. But I couldn't stop thinking about Ranger. I took another sip of tequila, but it made me burp and gave me a horrible taste in my mouth. I was such a sorry excuse for a drinker! It didn't make me happy or oblivious, just sad and sick.

I threw the empties away and dragged my sorry ass into bed, which I should have done in the first place. Once I'd pulled the covers over my head, I could pretend I was safe. Alone, but safe. And the beer and tequila did succeed in making me sleepy, midday or not. If only I was able to fall asleep, I could escape. Because while I was awake, my mind kept showing me pictures of Ranger. Smiling Ranger, tired Ranger, Ranger naked, badass Ranger. Ranger kissing someone else. My imagination just wouldn't shut up!

I did fall asleep eventually, but instead of escaping, it got worse. In my dream, I saw Ranger in church, kneeling at the altar. There was a figure next to him, but I coulnd't see clearly, I only knew it was a woman. I was running down the aisle, trying to stop the wedding, only hands that came out of the ground kept grabbing at my feet, made me stumble and slowed me down so much that I didn't even get halfway to the altar by the time the priest asked the all important question.

I woke up screaming. I was covered in sweat and my stomach was trying to decide whether or not it wanted to throw up.  
Fucking figures! I could deny the Earth was round if I wanted to, but Ranger had to follow me into my dreams and shove it into my face! And even worse, I'd slept for less than an hour. Would this day never end?

And now my thoughts were back. Who was this woman Ranger was marrying, and what did she have that I didn't? Was it Jeanne Ellen?? I hadn't seen or heard from her in years, but that didn't mean Ranger hadn't, right? Or what if it was an arranged marriage, something his parents had set up? I didn't know much about them, maybe they were really traditional and Ranger and this chick had been promised to each other at birth?

And there was always the possibility that it was all a big fat misunderstanding, that there was no engagement and no skank, that if I told Ranger what Connie'd told me he'd laugh one of his rare full-on laughs and pull my hair then tell me if he ever got married it would be to me.

I sighed and turned onto my back to get into my thinking position.

Whatever it was, I decided, I wasn't going to figure it out lying in bed with my phones turned off, I had to re-connect to the outside world.

I threw the covers back and stared at the ceiling. One thing was for sure, I promised myself, I'd never answer the fucking phone when it woke me up. Nothing good ever happened in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning!

A couple hours later, my beer and tequila buzz was gone and I was still hurt, frustrated and sad. So much for drinking or sleeping my problems away.

I decided to give the day another try, got out of bed and took another shower. I spent extra time on my hair and makeup, I didn't want to look like I felt. Thankfully, the hot water had taken care of my red-cried eyes, so I looked fairly normal. I took a closer look at myself in the mirror. Was Ranger's fiancée prettier than me? Thinner? Did she have straight hair that never looked scarecrow-y?

Then I looked myself in the eye. "Stop being pathetic," I told myself. "And stop feeling sorry for yourself!"

Then I was out of pep talk and stopped looking at myself.

After I'd dressed, I gave Rex some raisins for his breakfast later, reconnected the phone and took off for the bonds office. Maybe Connie would have some challenging skips for me; don't heroes in movies always bury themselves in work if they had too much trouble in their personal lives? I bet that worked just as well in real life!

I snorted, who was I kidding? I had to get out of the house before I drowned in self pity was all!

Connie jumped up from her chair when she saw me. "Steph, I didn't…"  
"I don't want to talk about it," I said with a meaningful look, hoping she'd get the message. "You got any skips for me?"  
She frowned, trying to decide if she should drop it. After a beat, she sighed and took some folders from her desk.

"I got Marvin Gorski, a drunk and disorderly and Penny Luke, a shoplifter. Both first timers, and pretty low bonds."  
I snatched the folders out of her hand. "I'll take them."

"Okay," Connie said slowly, still looking like she waited for me to start my outburst. "Let me sign them over to you."

Oh right, I had to sign the agreement and all that. I knew that, of course. I'd just been focusing all my attention on appearing normal, there wasn't energy left to actually think.

Connie took the files back from me, filled out her part, and had me sign on the dotted line.

"You want Ernest Mayfield, too?" she asked. "Assault with a deadly weapon. On his wife."

"Definitely," I said and signed the agreement when Connie presented it. Maybe Ernest would put up a fight and I'd get to kick him where it hurt.

"Vinnie will be happy," Connie said.

"That makes one of us," I said as I stuffed the files into my shoulder bag and turned to go.

I knew Connie wanted to talk about it, give her the play-by-play of my earlier conversation with Ranger, but I couldn't do it. If I said his name out loud, I'd burst into tears, I just knew it.

If I focused on the skips, I might even stop thinking about him too, although I didn't have much hope there. As long as I didn't talk about him or, God forbid, ran into him, I should be able to keep up the normal façade though.

"Bond enforcement," I announced myself formally enough at Gorski's house.

He was a 75-year old little geezer who'd had one too many at his granddaughter's wedding and barfed in the taxi on his way home, then refused to pay the fare. He was honestly embarrassed he had forgotten his court date and promised to come with me if I didn't cuff him.

I didn't trust him but I knew about neighborhood gossip so I played along. And what do you know, he let me drive him to the cop shop to be booked. I called Connie from the station so he could be re-bonded.

I should have been happy it went so well, instead I was disappointed Marvin hadn't distracted me even a little.

When I left the police station, I saw a black SUV parked close to my car out in the lot. The windows were tinted dark so I couldn't tell if anyone was inside but I groaned inwardly just the same. It was parked almost next to my car.

Only one company drives big, new, shiny SUVs into the police parking lot: RangeMan. All other cars this size and value were driven by gang bangers and drug dealers.

I tried to ignore it as the driver's door opened and hurried to my car. No luck.

"Steph!"

It was Tank. He was definitely near the top of my list of people I really didn't want to talk to. Shit.

Well, it was too late now to pretend I hadn't heard him, I was still ten feet away from my car.

"Hi Tank," I said, sounding so normal I would have fooled myself. "Sorry, I gotta run, I have a skip to catch."

"This won't take long," Tank said and closed the distance between us.

He took off his dark sunglasses and looked down at me. ""Hal's never heard of the term 'Loose lips sink ships' apparently," he said.

I was so shocked he came right to the point I was speechless.

"I figured you'd have heard by now."

I just nodded numbly. Even if my tongue didn't feel like a piece of dough in my mouth, what was there to say?

Tank reached out and touched my arm briefly, but then just dropped it. "I just wanted you to know we all just learned about the engagement over the weekend. We woulda told you if, you know, if we'd found out earlier."

I nodded again and realized how much I'd hoped Tank would have said it was all just one big fat misunderstanding, a practical joke, _anything_ but the truth.

"You okay?" he asked.

Either my mask wasn't fooling him or I wasn't as good as pretending as I'd thought.

I still couldn't speak because I felt tears prick my eyes again and I was afraid they'd start flowing if I opened my mouth. So I nodded again like an idiot.

I would have gotten away clear if I'd run to my car at that moment, but Tank chose to not let it lie; he pulled me into his arms and hugged me. To say it was the last thing I expected is an understatement, I was completely shocked. And too surprised to keep up my pretense, wrapped in a bear hug by this bear of a man, I couldn't hold it in any longer; I started sobbing like a little girl. I knew I'd be embarrassed about it later, but I couldn't help myself.

Tank wasn't embarrassed. He turned me so his back was to the cop shop and no one could see me and stroked my back soothingly. For the first time I understood what Lula saw in him, I wouldn't have guessed he had such a sensitive side. It was the safest and most comforted I'd felt all day.

"It's gonna be okay," Tank murmured, hugging me again. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

I shook my head against his chest, talking was the last thing I wanted to do, right after crying. I was so sick of crying, yet here I was, bawling my eyes out. Again.

I don't know how he did it, but somehow Tank nudged me towards his SUV and got the door open, then he gently pushed me inside so I could sit down. He got a tissue from somewhere and held it out to me.

"Sorry," I mumbled before I blew my nose.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"No," I admitted. "But it helped."

"For what it's worth, it totally took me off guard too, I never expected Ranger to…you know…"

"Yeah Tank. I do know." I sighed and tried to hold fresh tears back. "Thanks Tank."

TBC

* * *

A/N: So what do you think, could it really be true? Would Ranger do that to Steph?


	5. I ain't gonna do what I don't want to

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

This is the last chapter before Cherry Hill, I hope to meet/see you there.

Muchas Gracias to my chica Stayce, she made this possible

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

* * *

Chapter 5

I ain't gonna do what I don't want to, I'm gonna live my life

Tank took me home after calling RangeMan to have someone pick up my car.

"Really, I'm fine," I tried to assure him, but he didn't listen.

He stopped by McDonald's and got a big bag of food although I told him I wasn't hungry. I really wasn't.

It was cute how he tried to take care of me, really, I was touched, but I wanted nothing more than to be alone. I doubted that he would talk to me about it, just his presence a reminded me too much of Ranger.

But Tank didn't give up so easily, he insisted on coming upstairs with me.

I had an idea. "Would you come help me with my skips?" I asked him. "I have two more, I could really use the money."

Tank heaved a big sigh, killed the engine and turned to me. "It's not gonna work, Steph," he said.

"What isn't?" I really had no idea what he was talking about.

"You don't wanna talk about it, that's cool, I understand. But you're in no condition to go skip chasing today."

I opened my mouth to protest but he continued, "The way you walked across the parking lot, two cop cars had to swerve to avoid you. You were sleepwalking!"

No, that couldn't be true. I'd been lost in thought, maybe, but not oblivious!

But I knew Tank; he had made up his mind. If he said I couldn't go, he wouldn't let me. Any other day, I might have argued, but I was too exhausted. This day just wouldn't end.

"Okay." I said on a sigh. "Then I'm just gonna go upstairs and watch TV or something."

Tank fished the bag of food from the backseat. "I'll walk you up."

I'd hoped I distracted him enough and really didn't want company for my mope fest, but again, I had no energy left to argue.

He took the elevator with me and even did a walk-through of my apartment, just to make sure it was safe. I love Tank.

"You want some company?" he asked and put the food on my kitchen counter.

How could I explain to him that the only company I wanted were Ben & Jerry's, and maybe Mary Lou? "I just want to be alone," I said.

He looked at me then, searching for words. Finally he just said "Call me if you need anything," and hugged me goodbye.

I'd love to tell you that life just went on after that. I certainly wanted to avoid Ranger at all cost, I didn't want to see him or talk to him.

I spent the rest of that day on the couch, watching Lifetime and feeling really sorry for myself. I didn't even check my messages, I knew by now Lula would have called, but I was all done talking for the day.

Unfortunately, I couldn't just stay in bed for the rest of the week and wait for my heart to heal, I had to bring in those skips or I wouldn't be able to afford my rent, or less important things, like food.

And, like the old saying goes, life goes on, right? By now, I couldn't go with denial, not after Tank had confirmed it. But I couldn't really blame Ranger. What if he didn't even know I loved him? What if he had gotten tired of waiting for me? I had gone on and off with Morelli for so long, that he had no way of knowing we were just good friends now. If only I'd made the first move for a change. But it is what it is, and I could think of a dozen other expressions like that.

The next morning, I was still miserable, but I dusted myself off, took a long hot shower and steeled myself for the day. "I can do this," I told myself in the mirror.

After several cups of coffee and a cold hamburger from Tank's bag, I declared myself as ready as I'd ever be, fed Rex some hamster nuggets and took off to find Penny Luke and Ernest Mayfield. I knew I had to stop by the bonds office at some point to get my check, but I'd call first to make sure the coast was clear.

A RangeMan SUV was parked in my lot, right next to my car. I should have known Tank had kept watch.

Cal was in the driver's seat and he zoomed down his window as I approached.

"Hey Cal," I greeted him.

"Hey Steph. Look I'm real sorry…"  
I didn't let him finish. I wasn't ready for another crying jag, and if one more person told me they were sorry for me, I was gonna bawl all over again. I managed to wave him off and get into my car.

Cal followed me, but it turned out I didn't need his help. Penny Luke was a loose acquaintance of Grandma Mazur's and just as old. She thought of being cuffed and taken to the police station as an adventure she could share with the ladies at the beauty parlor and came willingly enough. One down.

Why was it that the one day I was waiting for a skip to try to outrun me, for any FTA to give me a hard time just so I could forget about Ranger for a minute, they all just came willingly? Just my luck, I guess.

Luckily I missed Lula at the bonds office, and Connie was giving me space, so I could pretend everything was normal, since I didn't have to talk about Ranger. I could even tell myself the RangeMan SUV was following me because some crazy stalker was after my life. When in doubt, deny.

I didn't find Mayfield, but after I deposited the two checks I'd earned, my checking account didn't look all that bad. I went to my parents' for lunch to save extra money.

Valerie and the kids were visiting so no one noticed my less than chipper mood over lunch, and no one thought to ask how my life was going, so I could stuff myself with chicken salad and Kaiser rolls. If someone had told me a week ago I'd be happy to see Val's chaotic brood, I'd have called them crazy. But if they got me off the hook from the third degree by my mom, I was okay with them.

"I heard you arrested Penny Luke this morning," Grandma Mazur finally said.

Boy, the Burg grapevine worked fast.

"Did she put up a fight, did you have to zap her with your tazer-thingy?"

"Nope, she came peacefully," I said and took another bite from my sandwich.

At least my appetite was back, always a good sign. Maybe I could do this after all. Time wounds all heels and so on.

Believe it or not, a after a couple hours with my family, I actually felt better. Well, a little more normal.

I made a sandwich to go and dropped it off with Cal on my way out.

"You don't need to follow me any more," I said. "I'm just gonna go home now."

"You sure?" he asked.

I nodded. "I'm okay, really. Tell Tank everything will be fine."  
"I hope so, Steph," Cal said and his look was enough to bring tears back to my eyes.

So much for normal.

After I'd stopped by the 7-11 for some much needed ice cream and junk food, I took myself straight home, and after a movie marathon and a pint of Phish Food, I went to bed sick to my stomach. I'd made it through the day!

It took me almost a month, but I finally stopped feeling sorry for myself. Hell, I'd joked about RangeMan ESP for years, but when it came right down to it, I knew there was no such thing. And since I'd never told Ranger what I felt for him, and ESP didn't exist, the man was pretty much in the dark. At the end of the day, a lot of this really was my fault.

Eventually, the Merry Men stopped looking at me like they expected me to throw myself in the river at any moment and I was only thinking about Ranger maybe forty or fifty times a day. A big improvement.

My heart didn't hurt hardly at all anymore, and maybe one day I'd be able to ask him why I wasn't good enough. But for now, I had a life to get on with, skips to chase, rent to pay, and the freedom and resolve to find somebody who'd love me for me. He didn't call me and I'd managed to steer clear of him at the bonds office. By now, it wasn't like I couldn't talk to him, I was over the crying.

Or maybe he was trying to avoid me, it was possible. Maybe he didn't want to have _that_ talk, where he would have to explain to me why I wasn't the one. Since it was definitely a talk I wanted to avoid, that was fine by me, too. Every day, I was getting more into the 'find the one' than the 'find out why I'm not the one' state of mind, and I was feeling better.

Lula and Connie knew not to mention Ranger when I was around, as far as I was concerned, there was nothing to talk about. Ranger was engaged. I'd get over it. Some day.

Under ordinary circumstances, my annual gyn appointment is the low point of my day, my week even. But since I'd decided to be more glass-half-full, I decided to make the best of it and ask my doctor for a prescription for the pill. It was time to get back 'out there', dammit! I even spent extra time on my hair and makeup to look my best.

I arrived early at Dr. Merola's office, a first for me. Usually I dragged myself in a half hour late, hoping I'd miss my appointment.

"How's it going, Steph, have a seat," Melanie Kulintzki, the receptionist, told me. I'd gone to school with her brother. "You'll have time to fill out these new forms," she said, handing me a clipboard with some papers on it.

So I even had something to fill my boring waiting time. I was convinced I was done moping around and definitely done having only my shower massager as a companion. Hell, there were plenty of other fish in the sea! I'd even gotten a couple phone numbers on a recent girls' night out with Lula and Connie, proof that Morelli and Ranger weren't the only men around! And if I was back on the pill, it would take the akwardness out of the moment, should it arrive. Also, I wouldn't have to hunt around for condoms.

When the office door opened, I glanced up reflexively from my forms. And then I froze.

At first I only saw Ranger. I noticed right away that he wasn't dressed in his usual black; he was wearing blue jeans and a green polo shirt. He fit right in, everyone in the waiting room was dressed similar. For a split second I thought he'd follow me here and demand to talk to me.

Then I noticed _her_.

Ranger had his hand protectively on her elbow as he guided her to a chair. She was a petite Latina, mid-twenties was my guess. She had raven-black shiny hair and was wearing a pastel sundress.

And she was pregnant.

She was barely showing but it was obvious on her slim frame.

I just stared at them, my mouth open, my eyes wide.

"Conchita Sanchez," I heard Ranger say to Melanie. "My fiancée and I are here for our first ultrasound."

Then he turned and saw me. Our eyes locked. I think I forgot to breathe.

TBC

* * *

A/N: So what happens next? Will Steph faint? Will she explode? Will Ranger explain?


	6. Standing on the ledge

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

Also a big thank you to all of you who left reviews, I appreciate each and every one of them. I apologize if I didn't get to thank you in person.

Domo arregato Stayce, without you, this wouldn't have been possible

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

* * *

Chapter 6

Standing on the ledge, I'll show the wind how to fly

In my mind, I saw myself pull my gun out cucumber calmly, shoot Ranger in the foot and say "Congratulations, asshole," icily.

In reality, I couldn't even move. It was one of those freeze frame moments. Ranger looked at me, and I looked at Ranger, and I saw nothing else.

It couldn't have lasted longer than ten seconds, but it seemed like hours.

And it wasn't that I was angry, but if I had a gun and would have shot him. Because he hurt me so much, not because I was angry at him, mind you. I was done being angry, but the pain made an unwelcome come back.

Ranger didn't wear his blank mask for a change. His face registered surprise and weariness, and he seemed to be holding his breath.

I'd like to go on record as the one who recovered first, me, little woe-is-me Stephanie Plum. I took a deep breath, plastered a smile on my face and set the clipboard I was still holding aside. Then I got up and looked first at Conchita, then at Ranger again.

"Ranger, don't you want to introduce us?"

Okay so, honestly, I had no idea where I'd gotten the courage from, I really didn't think I had that in me, and I was mighty proud of myself.

And for the first time that I could remember, I'd caught Ranger by surprise. I don't know what he'd been expecting but it wasn't civil me.

Conchita got up and held out her hand. "Conchita Sanchez," she said, barely above a whisper.

"Stephanie Plum," I said and shook her hand.

"Steph, this is my…" Ranger finally decided to join the conversation.

I can guess what he was going to say, but at that very moment, the nurse opened the exam room door and called my name.  
"Stephanie, the doc is ready for you," she said and held the door open.

Damn. Or maybe not. I didn't quite know where to go after introductions.

"Nice to meet you," I said, and I don't know if Ranger noticed my smile was starting to hurt me, it was so frozen.

I followed the nurse without waiting for an answer and without looking at him again.

Round 1: Steph.

I wasn't quite ready for round 2, but when I got situated in the exam room, I realized I'd forgotten my forms, so I quickly dressed again and went to get them.

I took a deep breath and slid that smile on again, but when I opened the door, Ranger and Conchita were gone.

The consultation with Dr. Merola couldn't go fast enough. Not that this was unusual, but today, I was more fidgety than ever. I had to get out of here!

And if you think I was flying back home to bury myself under the covers and cry myself to sleep, you're wrong. I was all done with that!

No, I took the fastest way to Tasty Pastry, bought myself a dozen doughnuts and ate half of them sitting in my car parked at the curb. I felt so much better afterwards, I laughed out loud at the memory of the 'meeting'.

I had shocked Ranger!! He'd probably expected me to go rhino on him, and I had surprised him! Take that, Batman!!

After I finished my comfort food I got another idea. It was a crazy idea, but I was in a crazy mood.

I pulled my cell phone out of my purse and went through my address book. Three guys had given me their number when I was out with Connie, Lula and Mary Lou the other night and I was gonna call one of them!

I only clearly remembered Brian, the other two came later when I'd already had my beer goggles on, so I thought it was safer to go with door number 1.

"Brian Peterson," he answered on the second ring.

I cleared my throat and gathered my courage. "Hi, it's Stephanie. From O'Reilly's the other night?"

I gave him credit for only thinking half a second. "Steph! Hi, how are you?"

"Doing good." That wasn't even a lie. I don't know if it was the adrenaline or the doughnuts, but I was feeling good.

"I'm glad you called," Brian said. "Did you decide you want to take me up on the offer of dinner and a movie?"

"Yup, that's why I'm calling. How's Friday for you?"

And just like that, I'd made a date. Holy shit! I hadn't had a date-date in forever!

I needed a dress! I needed shoes!

I can honestly say that I didn't think about Ranger once while I frantically searched for just the right dress to impress Brian. I found it, a very simple, very short black number that fit me like a glove. Oh yeah, I was gonna give Brian an eye full alright. I didn't know if he was up to the task of meeting the new and improved Steph, but I would find out.

This Steph was done pining over Ranger and Morelli; this Steph would take the first step and find herself a new man!

With my outfit all sorted out, I made an appointment with Mr. Alexander to add the finishing touch. He was able to squeeze me in Friday morning, it was perfect.

If I was gonna make a fresh start, I wanted to do it right. New man, new dress, new hair. Out with the old of all of the above!

I hadn't told the girls about my encounter and they didn't know about my make-over, so when I sauntered into the bonds office after my hair appointment, I got the full reaction.

"Whoa Steph," Connie exclaimed. "You got short hair!"  
"And it's red," Lula added.

I ran my hand through my shorter hair. "It's shoulder length," I corrected. "And just has a few highlights."

Mr. Alexander had done a great job. My hair was straight, just touching my shoulders, and framed my face very nicely. At the salon, the highlights had stood out subtly, making my hair shine.

I twirled in front of them in my new skinny jeans and v-neck top. "What do you think?"

"Girl, you look like a million bucks," Lula said approvingly.

Now that's what I wanted to hear!

Connie nodded. She looked like she had another comment about my changed look on the tip of her tongue, but she didn't say it. "You look good. You want the new skips that just came in?"

"I'll take them," I said. "But I won't start on them until tomorrow. I don't want to mess up my hair before tonight…"  
Lula caught on immediately. "You got a date!"  
"Remember Brian from bar?" I smiled. "He's picking me up at seven."

Now Lula got up from the couch and wrapped her arms around me in a bear hug. "You got a date!"

The next ten minutes, I had to tell them all about my dress and where we were going to go, and they approved of everything. Neither of them mentioned Ranger or Morelli, or why I was having a date with a stranger. I love my friends.

I went home after that, put the three FTA files Connie had given me on my to-do pile, fed Rex, and got to work on my make-up.

Since the dress was sexy, I had to go easy on the eye liner and lipstick so I didn't look slutty. Such a fine line between sexy and slutty, did you ever notice?

At six o'clock, I took a step back and admired my work in the mirror. I looked more than acceptable, I looked good. I didn't know if Brian was worth all the effort, I barely knew the guy, but if nothing else, he'd be great training for things to come. Because if it didn't work out with him, I fully intended to call the other two guys in my address book.

Look out Trenton, Stephanie is back in the dating ring! And this time, I was gonna do it right.

Brian showed up promptly at seven, he even brought flowers, and he looked as hot as I remembered. He was about 6'3", built like a Merry Man, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes. The blue eyes were important, since I didn't want to be reminded of Ranger when I looked into them.

Brian was wearing dark jeans and a dress shirt and he looked good enough to eat. I'd made the right choice!

"You look beautiful," he said as I was putting the flowers in a vase.

Good start.

I smiled a thank you and gathered my small clutch. "I'm ready to go."

We were a couple blocks down the road on the way to the restaurant when I noticed a black Porsche Turbo following us. At first, I thought it was my imagination, but a few miles later, when we parked at the "La Fleur", the Porsche pulled over and stopped. I couldn't see the driver, but I didn't have to. Only one person would follow me in a Porsche. Show time!

I smiled when Brian helped me out of his Mustang and held his hand on the way to the entrance, since I had a show to put on now. I didn't want Ranger to follow me around, but if he was, I wanted him to see just how much I was over him.

Brian turned out to be entertaining. He was a consultant for a Trenton company and he had a lot of funny stories about his work at various client sites.

After dinner, he took me dancing and I can honestly say it was the most fun I'd had without the girls in a long time. Certainly the best date I'd had since college!

It was past midnight when Brian suggested we leave, and since I was all danced out, I agreed. I noticed the Turbo following us again and I smiled. I'd certainly given him a show! Maybe Ranger had even been in the club and saw us slow dancing? That would have been the icing on the cake. Maybe he'd even felt something like what he'd put me through with his engagement.

I was all ready to ask Brian back upstairs, but he was such a perfect gentleman, he thanked me for a good time when we reached the doors to my building.

"Can I call you again?" he asked me as he pulled me to him and brushed his lips over mine.

"Please," I replied and slung my arms around him.

He kissed me then, a perfect first date kiss, full of promises for things to come.

I noticed the Porsche pulling into my parking lot and turning off its light, so I put my head on Brian's chest and hugged him tighter.

"I had a good time," I said, and meant it.

"Me too," Brian said and, just as planned, took my face in his hands to kiss me again.

I was still smiling when I unlocked my apartment. Partly because of the good time I'd had, but mostly because Ranger didn't have to hear about it through the grape vine, he was able to witness New Steph live and in color.

My plan had worked so well that I half-expected to fined Ranger in my apartment. He wasn't though, so I stepped over to the living room window that overlooked the parking lot. Brian was still downstairs, he waved at me before getting into his car and taking off. And a second after he'd left, I heard an engine rev and saw Ranger's Porsche peel out of the parking lot, following Brian.

Well, that had gone well!

TBC

* * *

A/N: So do you think Steph is doing the right thing, moving on and showing Ranger? Or should she try and find out who exactly this Conchita Sanchez is? And what do you think of Brian?


	7. We're living in a broken home

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

A big Thank You to Stayce for helping me write this chapter!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

* * *

Chapter 7

We're living in a broken home of hopes and dreams

Ranger had some nerve. He goes out and impregnates a girl and gets engaged to her, and _he_ follows _me _around? Who did he think he was, my big brother? For all I knew he'd followed Brian home and was running background checks on him this very minute.

I was getting angry as I brushed my teeth and washed my face for the night.

The nerve! Ha! The only thing missing was him showing up talking to me about safe sex. He, who always claimed he didn't do stupid things like pregnancy or marriage! And here he was, doing it _for the second time_!

I closed my eyes and took a couple deep breaths to calm down before I scrubbed my gums bloody. I was being ridiculous, and right back where I didn't want to be anymore.

Why couldn't I go back to thinking 'I'll show you how much I don't need you'? That was a sane state of mind, this anger wasn't. There was no way I could sleep now that I was in such a state. And here I thought I'd fall asleep with a smile on my face, thinking about Brian. Ranger had ruined the perfect date.

It had been a nice evening, everything a first date should be and then some. I never felt bored, Brian did everything right, down to paying for dinner and holding doors for me. And he was nice.

So why couldn't I fall in love with _him_? Why couldn't I even have feelings for him, was that too much to ask?

I'd thought that all I had to do was make the first move, like I'd never done in the past, and everything else would just fall into place. Brian was perfect boyfriend material.

My mother was right, I just couldn't seem to be attracted to 'nice' men. I was doomed to heartache and pain. Of course I'd rather cut out my tongue than admit that to her.

I grabbed ice cream out of the freezer and watched Rex work out on his wheel while I ate it straight from the carton.

"You don't know it Rex, but you're better off without a mate," I told him. "You eat right, you keep fit, and really, you have no worries."

In my next life, I wanted to be a hamster. You never had man troubles as a hamster.

Then I wondered what I'd think of stupid humans telling me their man troubles and that finally made me laugh again, so I left Rex alone and took my sorry ass to the couch to watch TV.

It was past three in the morning when all the ice cream was gone and a rerun of 'When Harry Met Sally' was over, and I decided that was a good time to go to bed, since now I was almost back to feeling sorry for myself.

I threw out the empty carton and shuffled into my bedroom. And froze.

Don't get me wrong, you should always scream and search for a weapon when you see a figure sitting in your dark bedroom at three in the morning. Unless the dark figure is a Cuban-American you know intimately, that is.

"Ranger? How did you…" I stopped myself before asking the stupid question. Ranger had ways to get into my apartment unnoticed, always had. "What are you doing here?" I asked instead. And the anger was back.

"You keep interesting company," he said, not moving.

I turned on the light because I wanted to see his face and because I needed a moment to think of what to say. I slowly counted to ten to calm down, but it wasn't much use.

He sat in the chair next to my window, his elbows on his knees and his hands steepled under his chin. He was in his usual black. And his blank face revealed nothing.

I took a deep breath to control my voice. He had some nerve questioning my company! "Look who's talking, Ranger."

That bought me a raised eyebrow. "I know the woman whose company I keep is not driving home to another fiancé after a date."

Ouch. That hurt. I didn't even care if it was true or he was making it up, it hurt. No, strike that, I knew it wasn't true, Brian had been way to open, there was no hint of a guilty conscience. And he'd taken me to a busy restaurant and an even busier night club, he was definitely not afraid of being seen with me. There was no finacee. Ranger was hitting below the belt, going for the cheap shot.

"And yet _you_ are here," I said. Two could play that game!

"You won't be seeing him again."

Excuse me?? I was _this_ close to exploding, but I knew I had to keep my calm outwardly if I wanted to hold my own against Ranger.

"Where do you get off telling me what to do? You aren't my father or my brother or, apparently, even my friend. What makes you think I'd listen to anything you have to say?"

He sat up straight, and that was his only reaction. Well, good, because I wasn't done yet. I was only getting started!

"You didn't even have the guts to tell me in person, I had to find out from Connie you were engaged! And you consider yourself someone who can give me advice on who to see?"

"I know more about the guy than you."

Considering I'd just spent an evening with Brian and learned more about him in an hour than I'd learned in years from Ranger, I found that hard to believe. But it didn't matter. Ranger was trying to change the subject, and I wouldn't let him.

"Why don't we start with you for a change? Why don't you tell me about _you_? What the fuck is going on?"

I was barely holding on to a voice below screaming, while Ranger remained completely calm. Now he slowly got up.

"I'm engaged to be married. I'll send you an invitation to the wedding."

Oh, that did it! "Tell me, did you torture small animals when you were a kid? Is that what got you off?"

He didn't answer and I didn't expect him to. I pointed, straight armed, to the door. "Get out."

He took a couple steps towards me and I sidestepped so he had a clear path to the door.

"Actions speak louder than words Ranger, isn't that what you've always said? Your words say one thing, but your actions say something else entirely. You say you're engaged, yet here you are, late at night in _my_ bedroom."

Ranger just looked at me, and for a moment, I thought I saw resignation in his face. But the moment passed. I was so furious that he just stood and stared at me, I was boiling inside.

"Now, I want you to pay close attention to this action," I said and slammed the bedroom door shut after him, missing him by less than an inch.

There, I'd done it! I'd thrown Ranger out. That was a first. I felt a sense of accomplishment, but mostly, I felt drained.

At least I'd gotten the last word in, I told myself as I slowly sank onto my bed, totally exhausted. It was a victory, of some sort. Funny, I didn't feel victorious.

Ranger did not come back in, and that was to be expected. It was a good thing too, because I didn't know how much longer I could keep the tears back if we continued arguing.

I didn't hear the front door close, but moments later; I heard tires screech in the parking lot, I didn't need to look to know it was Ranger leaving.

Ranger was gone. And this time, I had the strange feeling it would be for good.

TBC

* * *

A/N: What do you make of Ranger showing up like that? Did Steph do the right thing demanding answers?


	8. Shining like a diamond

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Danke Stayce, danke, danke, danke!

* * *

Chapter 8

Shining like a diamond, rolling with the dice

There was no sleep for me that night. When I wasn't angry at Ranger, I wondered if what he said about Brian was true, and that led me to the old 'all men are pigs', and that led me back to being totally pissed off.

I tossed and turned but I'd never been less tired. Had I done the right thing by throwing him out? I didn't even have a chance to bring up the pregnancy! Oh, how I'd have loved to throw in his face that he said he'd never do anything stupid!

Then I realized Ranger was going to be a father, and that brought on the old 'Why wasn't I good enough?' that I hated so much.

I groaned and gave up on sleep around 5:30. I figured I might as well get an early start, mooch breakfast at my parents' and give the FTA files Connie'd given me another look. I didn't really expect it would distract me much, but at least I'd be doing something besides moping at home.

After I took a shower and did my hair and makeup to hide the dark circles under my eyes, I fed Rex and told him not to wait up, I'd be gone all day.

My mom did a double take when I showed up in her kitchen at seven in the morning, but didn't say anything. Guess I'd shocked her speechless. Grandma Mazur and Dad were still fighting over the bathroom upstairs so I fixed myself a cup of coffee and sat down at the kitchen table.

"You're up early," my mom finally said.

"I got work to do," I said by way of explanation.

"You know they're hiring at the button factory."

I sighed. "I tried that already, Mom, remember? I got fired my first day."

"Yeah, but they're under new management now, you could try again."

I busied myself with stirring my coffee rather than responding. I knew she meant well, but I just wasn't up for it this morning. Not after the fight with Ranger and no sleep. I knew I just had to stall for a few more minutes before Grandma Mazur would rescue me.

She trotted down the stairs as if reading my mind and her face lit up when she saw me. "I'm glad you're here. I have an appointment at the beauty parlor later and I want to get the full scoop!"

"On what?" At least we were off the topic of my job now.

"Your date!" Grandma Mazur exclaimed. "Ella Greenwalt saw you with a hunkin' piece of ass at DiCaprici's last night. Who is he? Was it Ranger or one of his men?"  
Mom crossed herself and cracked some eggs into the pan.

I groaned. For once, I'd actually forgotten about the Burg grapevine, I'd been enjoying my date so much I didn't even look for familiar faces at the restaurant. I should have known.

"He's just a friend Grandma, we just went out to dinner."

Grandma hrrmphed and helped herself to some coffee. "That's not a good story. I need some more here. What will I tell the girls at the beauty parlor? Is he at least a friend with, what do they call it, benefits?"

"No, just a friend-friend." A friend who may or may not be engaged. I really didn't want to talk about him. So much for distraction, I was right back where I'd started last night.

"Did you at least have wild monkey sex?"  
"Mother!" my mom came to my rescue. "Not before breakfast!"

Grandma looked like she was going to argue, but my dad entered the kitchen just then and she knew she was outnumbered. Thank God.

Dad looked at me, then at the clock on the wall, as if he thought maybe he'd slept in, but he didn't say anything as he took his place at the table. And once breakfast got started everybody was too busy eating to discuss my relationships.

Once the dishes were cleared, I thanked my mom for the food and high-tailed it out of the house before Grandma could pick up the questioning.

I took a look at the three files Connie had given me, and decided to give the first two a try. They were both first timers who, at this hour, would be at home preparing to go to work. One was a drunk and disorderly and the other was a shop lifter. Both low bonds, but both low risk, too.

I lucked out at Felix Turner's house, he was home and embarrassed to learn he'd missed his court date. That was an easy $500.

Mary Pincetti had already left for work, but her son promised me he'd tell her I stopped by.

It wasn't quite noon yet and I'd already earned most of my rent, apart from being totally exhausted and angry.

Now I had an afternoon for shopping. I didn't really have a lot of money to spend, but I figured I could browse, the mall always pepped me up. Maybe I'd get so tired from walking around that I'd be able to sleep later.

I got a cute pair of boots on sale at DSW, but other than that, the mall was a bust. It kinda sucks when you see stuff you like but don't have the money for it. But it had worn me out, so I figured I'd go home and give sleep another try.

I was walking back to my car when I stopped. Something about the two guys in the parking lot seemed off, the way they were standing facing someone I couldn't see. Now one of them was shoving someone blocked from my vision by a black SUV and I heard a cry of pain. Maybe I'm jaded, but the first thing I was thinking about was armed robbery. They just didn't look like they were discussing baseball scores.

I needed to call for help, but there was no one else close by. If I ran back to the mall to find a rent-a-cop, they might get away.

"Looks like it's gonna be you, Steph," I told myself by way of pep talk and rummaged through my purse for some kind of weapon.

Maybe it was better this way, I figured. If my tired mind was playing tricks on me, I'd only embarrass myself in front of a couple strangers, not in front of a security guard and the crowd he could attract.

I walked towards the two guys, my hand closed around my can of pepper spray in my purse. Just a shopper on her way back to the car.

When I got close enough I saw one of the guys was holding a knife. Both guys looked Latino and they were talking to that someone by the SUV in low voices, both at the same time. I couldn't hear what they were saying, I couldn't even hear if it was English or Spanish, but I decided I'd seen enough.

"Hey guys," I said, loud and cheery. "What's going on?"  
I was able to see around the corner of the car now. No wonder I hadn't seen who they were threatening, the woman was sitting on the ground, holding her hands in front of her face. She looked up at the sound of my voice and I froze. It was Conchita.

Holy shit!

"Walk away, Senorita," the taller of the two guys advised, straightening his shoulders. "This doesn't concern you."

He took a step towards me so that he stood between me and Conchita.

"Conchita, you okay?" I asked, ignoring him.

My mind was racing. I had to get close enough to use my pepper spray on them, but I had to stay out of reach of the knife. Where the hell was everybody, how come we were the only ones in this part of the parking lot, for Christ's sake?

"Ste…Steph…Stephanie?" Conchita asked.

The two guys exchanged a nervous glance. Nervous was good. Maybe they didn't like that we knew each other and would decide the risk was too high. Unfortunately I didn't think they were after Conchita's purse or car, it looked like this was personal.

"Dígale que se vaya lejos," _hombre_ #1 spat at Conchita. She flinched.

I decided to go with fibbing and grabbed the spray can tighter. "I was looking all over for you," I said, walking towards Conchita. "You said you'd wait for me in the food court!"

Goon #2 moved to block my way and I barely remained on my feet when he shoulder checked me. And before I knew what I was doing, I let him have a dose of pepper spray. He howled and grabbed at his face, I'd hit jackpot.

"Get away from her," the second guy said in heavily accented English.

I was between him and his body on the ground and apparently he didn't want to get a taste of my spray, because he stayed where he was.

I pointed the can at him. "No, YOU get away."

I hoped I looked more courageous than I felt, I was mentally peeing my pants! I crouched down next to Conchita and held my hand out to pull her up.

The first guy recovered, which seemed to give the other guy back his balls and he took a step towards us. I was just trying to decide who to aim the pepper spray at when I heard tires screeching right next to us.

"Freeze motherfuckers," someone yelled and I heard a couple guns cock.

Oh thank God, the cavalry was here! I didn't know how much longer I could have played the lady in shining armor.

Conchita's attackers realized they were outnumbered and overpowered, so they took off. The guy who'd been blocking my way knocked me on my ass on his way out, so I just saw a blur of black as our rescuers followed them.

I dropped the pepper spray, got back on my feet and turned to face Conchita. "Are you all right?"

"I'm…f..f..fine," she said and let me help her up.

She looked like a frightened little girl and I couldn't help feeling sorry for her. I mean, I knew I was supposed to hate her or something, but I just couldn't. She looked like a nice woman and she'd been scared half to death.

"You know those guys?" I asked her.

She nodded and straightened her dress over her baby bump. She was about to answer me when something behind me caught her eye and she frowned.

"Oh," she said, like a little girl caught by her parents.

"Chita, get in the car," Ranger said before I knew it was him Conchita was staring at.

Oh hell, I wasn't ready to face him again! Why was he everywhere? I had no idea what he would make of this situation, maybe he thought I was the one threatening her?

Conchita lowered her head and picked her purse up from the ground. Ranger held the passenger door open for her and helped her in. I couldn't hear what he said to her but she nodded and smiled at him before he closed the door.

For a moment I hoped he would just get in the car himself and drive off, but no such luck. He closed the distance between us and looked at me.

"Are you okay?"

That was a loaded question. I'd just had an adrenaline rush from putting myself between Ranger's fiancée and a couple attackers and then the man himself showed up to rescue the both of us. No, okay was not a word I would have used to describe myself. Ranger's eyes were still boring into mine, and I realized I hadn't answered him.

"Who were those two?" I asked, for lack of anything better to say.

"Trouble," Ranger said. "And it could have been a whole lot worse if you hadn't been here."

Whoa. Did Ranger just credit me for saving his girl? Was this bizarro world? _He_ had rescued _me_ here, I'd been in way over my head.

"I didn't…" I didn't quite know what to say.

"Thank you," Ranger said and now I was completely speechless.

"Cal will make sure you get home okay, I have to take care of Conchita."

And then he left and I was finally able to take a breath again. I sure hoped the mall had security cameras out here, because I needed a fucking replay of what just happened.

TBC

* * *

Dígale que se vaya lejos – Tell her to go away

A/N: Should Steph have stayed away and let Conchita get into trouble or did she do the right thing? What do you think the goons were after?

I'll be on vacation as of tomorrow, so it may take me a little longer to update, I apologize in advance!


	9. Let me be the first

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

A thousand thank yous to my editor extraordinaire Stayce!!

* * *

Chapter 9

Let me be the first to shake a helping hand

Okay, so you would think seeing Ranger with his pregnant girlfriend at the gynecologist's office was the last straw. And it was a blow, don't get me wrong. But seeing him drive off with her after my life was just threatened was way worse.

Maybe life threatening was not the right term to describe what had just happened, but you know what I mean, there was definitely danger. _I _was the one Ranger pulled out of trouble and drove home! _I_ was the damsel in distress the knight rescued!

It hurt. And it also made it so…real, somehow. Ranger had rescued _her_, not me.

Before I could sink deeper into self pity, I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. Maybe I would throw myself a pity party later, but the mall's parking lot was definitely not the forum for that.

I was still debating whether or not to feel sorry for myself when Cal and Junior returned with the two hombres all cuffed and looking worse for wear.

"You okay, Steph?" Junior asked.

Still a loaded question, but I knew what he meant so I nodded. "I'm fine."

Physically, that was true. I'd been knocked on my ass, but the guy who did it had blood shot eyes and a huge bruise blooming on his jaw, courtesy of Cal, I was sure.

"Lemme just stow this away so Junior can drive them to cop shop, then I'm all yours," Cal said and winked at me.

I watched as they muscled the two guys into the back seat of Conchita's SUV and Junior got into the driver's seat. Compared to the Merry Men, the hombres looked downright puny.

Maybe that's what had given me the courage to stand up to them? Nah, it'd just been a case of 'act now, think later', I decided.

"…, Steph?

"Huh?" I didn't realize Cal was talking to me until I heard my name.

"I said, are you sure you're okay? I guess I just got my answer."

"I was just lost in thought, Cal. Really, I'm fine."

He didn't look convinced. "Have it your way, I'm still gonna drive you home though."

I knew better than to argue with him, especially because I didn't want to get him in trouble with Ranger. And now that the adrenaline was wearing off, I felt pretty exhausted.

"I'm not sure I remember where I parked…"

This was true actually. I knew I'd come out of the right mall exit, so my car had to be around here somewhere, but I couldn't remember where exactly.

Cal smiled. "Three rows over. We have you on our GPS, remember?"

I would never complain about RangeMan's tracker in my car again. "Okay then."

Really, I had no reason to be so upset. Ranger might be otherwise engaged, ha, ha, but look who was taking me home. Cal was tall, strong and manly. OK, so he had that flaming skull tatooed on his face, but he was a great guy. I just couldn't help viewing him as second choice. Ranger does that to a woman, I suppose. Once you get to know him, no other man will do.

I groaned. Why didn't I just buy two pints of ice cream and a dozen harlequin novels?  
"You sure you're okay?" Cal wanted to know. Again.

"Peachy," I told him, unable to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.

We had reached my car and Cal was holding the passenger door open for me. I climbed in and buckled myself in, telling myself to snap out of it already.

"What's gonna happen to them?" I asked, jerking my head back in the direction of Conchita's car. Just making conversation, since I had a pretty good idea.

Cal shrugged. "Junior is taking them to the cop shop. Ranger will press charges."

That's what I figured. I nodded, since I couldn't think of anything to say to that.

"You wanna stop for some lunch?" Cal asked.

"As long it's not tree bark and soy sprouts," I said and Cal laughed.

"I know you, I was thinking Cluck-in-a-bucket."

That's what I was thinking too, comfort food was exactly what I needed. "I'm in."

We hit the drive-thru and arrived at my apartment loaded with bags of food. We got everything upstairs and spread it out on the dining table.

Just as I was digging in for my second piece of chicken, Cal started talking.

"So how are you _really_ doin'? Are you okay after seeing…," he gestured, "her?"

I bit into my chicken to buy me some time to think about my answer. How pathetic would it be that I was hurt just now when he came to her rescue, not mine? Could I sound any more like a lovelorn teenager?

I cleared my throat. "Well, I've had some time to get used to it now," I said, as close to the truth as possible.

"Not like this," Cal said.

Jeez, you think he'd let it go already. Cal, who never spoke more then three sentences on a normal day all of a sudden was chatty Kathy!

"I really don't wanna talk about it," I said, and that was the whole truth.

As good as I was at denial, talking about it made it real and denying it impossible.

Cal nodded. "Fair enough." And we finished our meal in silence.

He helped me clean up afterwards and then called RangeMan for a pick up.

There was one thing I wanted to ask him. I didn't want to know the answer, but I had to know, you know? So I took a deep breath just as Cal turned to leave.

"Does Conchita stay at RangeMan?" I asked.

"I don't see her much," Cal said.

That didn't answer my question and he knew it. I should have left it at that.

"Does she stay at RangeMan?"

"Up on seven," Cal said.

I nodded. What had I expected? Okay, so maybe I had hoped he would stay Conchita stayed in her own apartment, or at least on the fourth floor, in one of the studios. Why did I have to ask.

"They're engaged, Steph," Cal said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"I know that," I said. "Just wondering."

He sighed. "For what it's worth, none of us saw this coming, we'd never seen her before she moved in. I would have told you."

"Ranger should have told me," I said, and now tears were pricking my eyes.

This was why I didn't want to talk about it, dammit!

"Damn straight," Cal agreed. "From what I hear, Tank chewed him out for that one."  
This was news to me. Tank had been very supportive, he'd called me every day that first month and showed up at least twice a week to go skip hunting with me. I'd have to ask him about that.

Cal gave me a genuine hug and told me to call him if I needed to talk and then he left. I closed the door after him and took a deep breath. Now I was all alone and could throw myself that pity party, but I didn't feel that low anymore.

"I'll get over it," I told myself and went to check my messages on the answering machine.

I did have some FTAs I really needed to bring back into the system to be able to pay my bills, but I still wasn't up for that. I'd already gone shopping, so the only thing I could come up with was to take a nap, God knows I was tired enough for it.  
The phone woke me two hours later. "Hmm?" was all I could muster up when answering it.

"Stephanie?"

I was wide awake in an instant, I knew exactly who I was talking to! "Con…Conchita?"

"Yes, hi, how are you?"

Wow, what a loaded question coming from her! I reminded myself to keep it together and returned the greeting.

"I'm calling to…uhm…thank you for helping me earlier."

Okay, this was awkward. "Yeah, no problem. You would have done the same thing." Actually, I didn't know too many women who would have, and I doubted Conchita was one of them. But hey, I'd decided to be nice, remember?

She laughed nervously. "I doubt that. It was very brave of you."

"Uh-huh." No one had ever called me brave, I had no comeback.

"So, I was wondering if…uhm…if you don't mind…I would like to…"

She took forever to get to the point and I really didn't want to be talking to her, but I bit my tongue.

"Could I come over and thank you in person?"

"Uhm…" What??? No!! Hell no! I didn't ever want to see her again. Probably Ranger would insist on accompanying her and I'd had enough of the happy family to last me a lifetime, thankyouverymuch. I just couldn't come up with the polite form of 'Fuck, no!'. "There's no need to…"

"Only if you don't mind," Conchita said.

"Okay," I heard myself say, when I swear I'd wanted to say 'I DO mind.'

"I could bring dinner? Seven o'clock?"

Oh, fuck me. She didn't want to be friends, did she? Because that was the last thing I wanted. Problem was, I couldn't tell her so either, as much as I didn't want to talk to her, I didn't want to hurt her feelings either. Weird, I know.

After we'd hung up I realized I never asked her if she was coming alone or with Ranger. I could fake it through dinner with her alone, I figured, but if I had to face her holding hands with Ranger I'd lose it, I just knew.

It was just past four and a quick look around my apartment made me realize it wasn't fit for company. As much as I hate cleaning, today I welcomed the distraction. I vacuumed and mopped and dusted, I even cleaned Rex's cage and scrubbed the toilet and sink, until my apartment was cleaner than the day I moved in, but I couldn't wash away the images of Ranger and Conchita in my head. Over and over I saw how he'd helped her to his car, ignoring me.

What was I thinking letting her come over??

I had time to take a quick shower and the hot water did release some of my tension. I decided to look my best, and not just to show Ranger what he was missing. I put on three layers of mascara and plenty of eye liner for courage and blasted my hair with the blow drier. It would have looked silly to dress up at home, so I just went with jeans and a v-neck shirt that I knew emphasized my eye color. What? You would have done the same.

At seven on the dot, the door bell rang. I took a deep breath before I looked through the peep hole in my door.

Conchita was alone! What a relief. I could 'handle' her by herself, I was sure of it.

"Hi," I said, opening the door.

Conchita handed me a bouquet of peonies. "Hi. These are for you. Thank you for saving my life."

"I wouldn't say I…," I stammered, accepting the flowers.

"I would. You don't know the Ortizes," she said.

Awkward. "Come on in," I prompted and she did.

"That wasn't the main reason I wanted to see you," she said, passing me. "I want to ask you a favor."

TBC

* * *

A/N: What could Conchita possibly want from Steph? Is this the big 'Stay away from my man'?? Should Steph hear her out?


	10. Who, are you to tell me

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them! If I didn't reply to you in person, I'm sorry.

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Merci beaucoup to Stayce who didn't let a triple whammy get in the way of helping me! Feel better soon!

* * *

Chapter 10

Who are you to tell me if it's black or white

I closed the door and followed Conchita. She was wearing a short flower-patterned sun dress and she looked absolutely cute in it. Not that I like looking cute, but it totally worked for her. She probably oozed vulnerability and any man would want to protect her. She had to have something that I didn't have, something that made Ranger click. Other than being absolutely beautiful, I mean. Long shiny black hair, flawless complexion, big brown eyes. I think I hated her at that moment. She was Ranger's choice. He'd never told me about her and suddenly, he was the relationship guy and chose her.

"Can I get you something?" It was the only thing I could think of to say. What I wanted to do was scratch her eyes out, just because she was Ranger's woman, and I could barely hold back.

"I brought dinner," Conchita said, and now I noticed the takeout bag in her hand. "Ranger said you like Italian?"

Nice of him to remember. I wondered what else he'd told her about me. About us. Was she here to tell me to stay away from him? It would give me a good excuse to fight her.

I gestured towards my dining table. "Sure. What else has Ranger told you about me?" I just had to know.

"He said you are friends and you work together from time to time." She pulled a bottle of wine from her bag, offering it to me. "I brought this, too."

Was it me or was the tension between us thick enough to cut with a knife? Friends, huh? Well, that was one word for it, I guess. I didn't think Conchita would lie about it; those must have been his exact words. By my definition, friends told each other when they got engaged.

At least she had given me something to do. I took the bottle from her and brought it, with the flowers, into my kitchen.

"Have a seat," I said over my shoulder before she could offer to help.

I needed a minute here!

Rex stopped running on his wheel and eyed me curiously when I put the flowers next to his cage on the counter. "I know, awkward, right?" I whispered. "Do you think anyone would miss her if I let her disappear?" I could see it clearly. I would club her with the wine bottle and then…kill an innocent child. Damn. Even in my fantasy, I couldn' go through with it.

I had no idea how to talk to Conchita. It wasn't right that I disliked her just because she was with Ranger; I didn't know her, really. But I didn't know what to say to her. 'What do you have that I don't?' didn't seem like a good conversation starter. She had what I wanted, plain and simple. She stood between me and Ranger.

"Did you come alone?" I asked her when I had muscled the wine bottle open and put the flowers in a vase. I brought my glass of wine back into the dining alcove. Conchita had unpacked takeout boxes that smelled a lot like meatball subs.

Conchita waved in the general direction of the parking lot. "Of course not." She sighed. "I can't go anywhere alone. This afternoon I got lucky and lost them. They usually follow me everywhere. That's why I'm here."

Alone. Did she notice she didn't make sense?

"Carlos trusts you," she said as if she'd heard me. "Other than his men, you're the only person he'll let me be alone with."

Flattering. I wished he had trusted me enough to tell me he was getting married!

"He's in the parking lot?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Tank and Hal are. He's working. As usual."

Oh please. If she was going to share how her fiancé never has time for her I was going to scream. As if this situation wasn't already bizarre enough. I was definitely not ready for that kind of talk with her!

"Ah," I just said in answer and put my wine on the table. "I'm gonna get us plates."

When the table was set and the sandwiches were divided up, there was nothing else for me to do but sit down at the table with her. We ate in uncomfortable silence for a while and I downed two glasses of wine.

Conchita put her sandwich down and wiped her mouth, then she looked at me. "You met two members of the Ortiz clan today," she said.

I nodded. "Not exactly friends of yours, huh?" So I wise-crack when I don't know what to say, sue me.

"No," she said and sighed. "They're part of the reason I'm not supposed to leave the house alone."

I hoped she meant the RangeMan building and not the Batcave.

"I can see why," I said and took another bite of my sandwich. "So who are they?"

"They're...it's complicated. They're enemies of my father's, simply put. They're trying to get to him through me. That's part of the reason I'm here," she said and took a drink of her water.

I really didn't want to know any more about it. I had a knack for making other people's enemies mad at me and I had no intention of learning more about the Ortizes. With my luck, I was on their list already after I interrupted them earlier.

Conchita put her glass back down and took a deep breath. "I asked Carlos to talk to you but he said it had to come from me."

Oh boy. Suddenly I didn't feel like eating anymore. "What is it?"

"Carlos thinks I need a bodyguard."

Well, yeah, we all saw the reason for that this afternoon. I nodded.

"I don't feel comfortable with his big men," Conchita said and shifted in her chair. "They're so…they're men."

That was their best feature, in my opinion, but I knew what she meant. Whenever I had a Merry Man escort I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb wherever I went. But what did that have to do with me?

I took another sip of my wine. That woman took forever to get to the point.

"And this afternoon you…you saved me."

Well, technically I had stalled until Ranger could save us both. "Well…"  
"You stood up to those guys when all I did was cry," she said.

"All I did was…" Well, butt in, really. Although it had felt kinda heroic afterwards.

"Stephanie, will you be my bodyguard?"  
I was glad I'd put my glass down and was not currently trying to swallow. My eye bugged out and my chin hit my chest. "WHAT?" She could NOT be serious!

"Carlos trusts you, he said you would do great."

Did he, now? I just bet he did. You gotta hand it to him, he knew me well. Well enough to not come here with Conchita to make such a request. I felt like kicking him in the groin. He had some nerve, making Conchita ask me!

"I don't know, Conchita," I hedged.

Keeping Ranger's love interest safe wasn't exactly my top priority. He owned a security company, for fuck's sake! And I would have much rather killed her than protected her!

"I feel like I can trust you," Conchita said.

"I don't know if I could protect you from anything. Or anyone, for that matter," I said. And that was the truth, I still believe I'd mostly gotten lucky in the parking lot, my timing had just been right.

"Carlos said you have a gun."

Enough with what 'Carlos' said already! If she mentioned him one more time I was gonna freak. I _knew_ he was _her_ man; she didn't have to rub it in constantly!

I bit my lip and took a deep breath. "I do. It's in my cookie jar without bullets in it."

"You don't have to answer me right now," Conchita said, giving up on trying to convince me. "All I'm asking is that you think about it. Will you?"

She looked at me with her big brown eyes and I just couldn't say no. Did I ever mention I'm a sucker for brown eyes? Is that how she'd gotten 'Carlos'? Did he take one look into her eyes and fall for her? What was it about her? Was she smarter, funnier than me? She wasn't any prettier, that was for sure. We were total opposites in the looks department. What was it? What had him totally ignore me and fall for her?

"All right," I finally said. "I'll think about it."

Conchita beamed. "Thank you! I really appreciate it."

I downed the last of my wine. "Sure."

She wrapped her half-eaten sandwich up and pushed away from the table. "I'd better go, I don't want to take up more of your time."

Guess she'd said what she came here for. And I made it through without pulling her hair!

I got up and walked her to the door. She took my hand and squeezed it. "Thank you. For everything."

I just nodded; I had no idea what to say to that.

Me a bodyguard for Ranger's fiancée. The universe really hated me.

I mean, okay, so I'd seen for myself that she needed help and I knew Ranger was giving it. Trouble was, his help and a normal life didn't go well together. With a Merry Man by your side, you always felt like a celebrity, everybody stared at you. And I had to sympathize with her; I'd tried to outsmart the Merry Men and Ranger a few times, just to get away from over-protection.

But bodyguard Steph? That had to be a sick joke. I could barely stay dry and clean through a whole day myself!

Was it Ranger's idea of a joke? I had no doubt Conchita had been telling the truth, Ranger had more or less suggested me. What did he get out of it? Was he trying to mend fences or just make it worse? I mean, I got it, he was engaged, no Wonder Woman and Batman in the batcave.

I sighed and plopped down on my couch with a beer.

I knew I couldn't tell Conchita 'no' face to face. When I saw her, I felt sorry for her. But I knew I wouldn't be any good at protecting her, since I rely on luck and not skill to get me out of trouble.

Then again, Ranger thought I could do it, and he wouldn't risk Conchita's safety.

Oh fuck. I had no clue what to do.

Under normal circumstances, I would have felt proud that Ranger would trust me like that. I mean, I've always trusted him, with my life even, but it was nice to know he thought I could do it. But these weren't normal circumstances, it hurt that Ranger didn't even consider my feelings in his effort to protect Conchita.

And the problem was, _I_ doubted I could do it.

"Damn!" I yelled and hit the couch pillow. "Fuck!"

I finally decided to swallow my pride and call Ranger directly; I needed to hear from him why he'd picked me. The wine and the beer helped with that decision. I called his cell, left a message, then I called his pager and punched in my number.

Less than two minutes later, I heard the lock on my front door tumble. It never occurred to me to get up and check if it was an intruder. Didn't anyone use the phone anymore? Like I could tell Ranger 'no' any more than Conchita! On the other hand, I might get a chance to finally kick him.

"Babe," Ranger said, leaning against the door jamb in my living room.

"Come on in," I invited, the urge to hurt him stronger than ever. It was a good thing the alcohol was slowing me down. "Have a seat, I might as well have the whole Manoso family over tonight."

He pushed himself off the doorjamb and took a seat in the chair opposite the couch. "Conchita told you about the job?"

I snorted. "That's what you call it? You have a sick sense of humor."

"You don't have to do it," he said.

"That's not really the point," I said and my voice rose an octave. "Why me? What do you get out of it? Do you think I'm jonesing to spend more time with your fiancée?"

"She feels comfortable with you and I know she'd be safe with you," he just said.

I emptied my beer and stood up, pointing the empty bottle at him. "That's not enough. You could easily hire a woman to do the job."

"You'd work for RangeMan," Ranger said.

"You know that's not what I meant. You own a security company, security is your fucking job."

Ranger slowly got up and looked at me; I couldn't read the expression on his face.

"What are you not telling me?" I asked.

TBC

* * *

A/N: Should Steph agree to be Conchita's bodyguard? Do you think she can take being so close to her 'rival' every day? And what do you think it is Ranger's not telling her?


	11. Anybody brave enough to take a stand

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

If you left unsigned reviews, I'm sorry I wasn't able to answer them, but I appreciate them just the same.

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Thank you so much for all your reviews and a special THANK YOU to Stayce for her great ideas and tireless editing

* * *

Chapter 11

Anybody, brave enough to take a stand

Since my living room is pretty small, Ranger was standing less than two feet away from me now. He looked at me and our eyes met.

"Why is this so important to you?" I asked when he didn't say anything.

"I have to keep Chita safe," Ranger said.

The use of her nickname stung when it shouldn't have, just a little reminder that I still wasn't over it.

"You have dozens people who can keep her safe," I pointed out.

Ranger took a deep breath and closed the distance between us. We were close enough to touch now.

"None of my men can follow her into a dressing room, or a restroom."

He had a point there. But that left the question why he wanted me for the job.

"Why me? Ella could keep her company," I said.

"I'd consider it a favor," he said.

"Oh, a favor like _friends_ ask each other?" I asked, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "We're friends again now?"

The alcohol had made me brave enough to speak my mind. I could tell I'd touched a nerve by the way Ranger's eyes minimally narrowed.

"I've always considered you my friend," he said.

"Then why didn't you tell me?" I wanted to know. "Why did you tell all the Merry Men, hell, probably the whole town, but I was the last one to know, and I didn't hear it from _my friend_?"

"Steph," he touched my arm lightly with his fingers. "Please."

"That won't work," I lied as my skin seemed to burn under his touch. "I need to know why I wasn't good enough to know but am good enough to keep your fiancée safe."

"I would have told you, you found out before I got a chance to. I didn't plan on the grapevine working so fast."

I scoffed but I realized it could be true. I hadn't seen Ranger for a while before Connie told me and we hadn't even talked on the phone. Technically it was possible Ranger had gotten engaged the night Hal told Connie. But I was on too much of a roll now; I wanted Ranger to admit his mistake. Then maybe, maybe, I'd forgive him.

"I need a beer," I said to stall for time. "You want one?"

I didn't wait for his answer before I turned to the kitchen. Two glasses of wine and a beer was normally my limit, but for this conversation, I needed all the liquid courage I could get. And the short timeout made me calm down.

When I returned to the living room, Ranger hadn't moved. He accepted the bottle I held out to him and took a sip. I sat down on the couch, tucking my legs under me.

"You don't need to be her bodyguard," he said. "My men can keep her safe. You'd just be on the lookout, follow her where my men can't."

I took a long pull from my beer why I mulled that over. It made sense. I had a vision of Tank holding her purse outside a dressing room and almost choked on my beer. The thought of Cal, flaming skull tattoo and all, sitting next to Conchita at a tiny table for tea made me grin. I could see where I'd fit in. But it raised more questions.

"Let's assume I say yes," I said, craning my neck to look up at Ranger. "What does she need protection from and why?"

"Goons like this afternoon," Ranger said immediately. "You were able to distract them long enough for us to get to you."

"Why are they after her?"

He took another sip from his beer and sat down next to me. "They're not after her. They're trying to get her father to agree to a deal and they're using her to get what they want."

"Did you know this before you got engaged?" I asked.

"It's why she moved in," Ranger said.

I was skating on thin ice here. If I asked the question, Ranger would answer me. But what I wanted to know most of all was if he loved her. And I didn't know if I was ready for his answer. I knew I wasn't ready for his reasons why he'd chosen her over me. I couldn't deny that she was in his life, but with enough effort, I could deny the fact that he would marry her because he loved her. Denial had always been my friend when reality was too much to handle. After a short battle with myself, I decided to change the topic instead of digging deeper.

"It would be temporary, until you can find another woman for the job," I said. "And you have to tell me all about the Ortizes."

Ranger leaned towards me. "So you'll do it?"

"I can't let the Merry Men emasculate themselves," I said, picturing Junior inside Victoria's Secrets, holding outfits outside the dressing room.

Ranger looked like he was thinking about smiling as if he'd read my mind. "They'll appreciate that."

"But I'll need to know what I'm getting into," I reminded him.

Ranger ran a hand over his chin and looked like he was deciding how much to tell me. He took a sip of his beer and sat down next to me.

"Victor Ortiz runs the Latin mafia in Trenton, more or less," he said. "Conchita's father is an honest business man that doesn't want to pay Ortiz's protection fees."

Now it made sense that Ortiz's goons were after Conchita. "They're trying to bully him into paying," I said.

Ranger nodded. "Burning one of his stores down didn't do the trick, so they're starting to apply pressure elsewhere."

"Do you think they'll try something like this afternoon again?"

Ranger nodded again. "I think today was just the start."

"But what can I do against them, especially if they send more guys next time?" I still believed I'd just gotten lucky earlier.

"You'll be a distraction." Ranger smiled. "I trust your instincts, you'll sense when something is up. And my men will always only be a step behind you, they'll be the muscle you need."

"Okay," I said, more to myself than to Ranger. "I'll do it."

Ranger picked up his beer and held it out to me, I picked up mine and we drank to our new arrangement.

"And look at it this way," he said. "When Chita is home, you'll get to use RangeMan's search engines to get all the intel you need on your skips."

Good point. I still had the files from Connie I hadn't even started on.

Maybe it was the alcohol, but I had a good feeling about this. Stephanie Plum, bodyguard. It could work with the backup Ranger would provide.

"When do I start?" I asked.

"Tomorrow," Ranger said at once. "You won't even have to wear the RangeMan uniform."

"But I still don't know why you can't protect her. You'd fit in everywhere your men can't." The thought had just occurred to me.

Ranger took a deep breath. "I can't be with her 24/7. I have a company to run."

Now that doesn't sound much like the doting fiancé to me. Maybe there was less denial involved than I'd thought. "Isn't Conchita more important to you than RangeMan?"

Ranger looked at me for a long minute and our eyes held. I couldn't read his expression, but I got the feeling he was trying to decide what to tell me.

"She is," he said at last and my heart sank. "But without RangeMan I won't be able to provide for her and the baby."

Ouch. That hurt more than a slap in the face could have. Well, I thought, I'd really asked for it. I took a sip of my beer to hide my face behind the bottle. I felt like crying.

"Tomorrow then," I said weakly.

"Thank you," Ranger said softly, leaning forward.

For a spit second I thought he was going to kiss me, and I had a strong desire to kiss him back, but then he just tucked a stray curl behind my ear and leaned back again.

He got up and the moment was broken. "I have pictures of all of Otiz's goons at my office, I'll fill you in first thing."

I cleared my throat but didn't know what to say, so I just nodded.

Ranger left and I was alone. Now I could have cried if I wanted to, but I was still in denial. It was not too late, I told myself, I could still change my mind. And what about the almost kiss? It must have been in my head, there was no way Ranger would cheat, was there? But he'd been so close and I'd wanted him to kiss me...

My head was spinning, I was positively drunk. Maybe I'd wake up and realize I'd dreamt the whole thing, I thought as I sank back against the couch. There was hope.

TBC

* * *

A/N: So, do you think Ranger was telling the truth? And did Steph do the right thing when she accepted the job, do you think she can do it?


	12. Is innocence the difference

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

I apologize for taking so long, the muse wasn't with me at all. I don't know what she's been up to, but she was definitely not whispering to me for the longest time!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Spaciba to Stayce for all the help!

* * *

Chapter 12

Is innocence the difference between a boy and a man

**The next morning, I woke up with a monster headache and a stomach that couldn't decide if it wanted to throw up or not. I'd set my alarm early so I had time to take an extra half hour to get may hair and makeup just right. 'Ranger, eat your heart out' was my motto. If I couldn't have him, I wanted him to see what he was missing. **

**Since I didn't have to ****wear a ****RangeMan uniform, I put on a jeans mini skirt and a blue v-neck t-shirt that hopefully made me look sexy without looking like a tramp. And after all that, I still had time to cruise by McDonald's to ****pick up the cure.**

**I was a little nervous but felt much better when I drove over to Haywood and parked my car in the garage. **

**One minute in the control room was all it took to make me forget all about my nerves and my hangover. Lester jumped up from his seat behind the monitors and threw his arms around me, hugging me tight. **

**"Steph, good to see you," Bobby hailed from behind his desk.**

**"You're back!" Lester said close to my ear and hugged me again.**

**I was smiling when he finally released me. "It's nice to see you too."**

**Tank had come up from behind his desk and grinned. "Welcome back!"**

**"I'm taking you out to lunch Steph," Lester said and finally let me go.**

**I beamed. Regardless of why I was here, that welcome had made my day.**

**"Boss wants to see you in his office," Tank said. "Get you briefed." He winked.**

**I'd expected as much, since Ranger had promised he was going to fill me in on everything. **

**After I'd greeted everybody and promised Lester I'd go to lunch with him, I made my way to Ranger's office.**

**"Come in," he said when I knocked.**

**He was sitting behind his desk, a mountain of paperwork in front of him.**

**"You came," he said and the corners of his mouth twitched.**

**"I said I would," I replied and sat down in one of the visitor chairs in front of his desk. "On a temporary basis. Until you find someone permanent, like we discussed"**

**Ranger nodded. "Did you bring your gun?"**

**"Of course," I said, proud for remembering. I was sure Ranger had expected me to leave it at home in the cookie jar. **

**He leaned forward and picked up a small pile of papers, holding them out to me.**

**"The Ortiz Clan," he said. "Everything we know about them, including pictures. You see any of them, you raise the alarm. The two you met yesterday are in jail right ****now,**** I'm hoping to put the whole gang in there."**

**I took the pile and leafed through them. There were background checks, criminal records and pictures. They all looked like thugs to me, but that could have been because the pictures were mostly mug shots.**

**"They've all been arrested before?"**

**"Most of them," Ranger said. "I'm working with the cops on this one, even a small thing can get them arrested. We'll worry about the charges later."**

**"So what's the plan for today?" I asked.**

**"I figured you'd want to familiarize yourself with the possible threats and then get to know Chita," Ranger said. "She's upstairs, ready when you are."**

**Again I felt the now familiar stab at the use of her nickname and her whereabouts. Would I ever get over it?**

**"Any questions?" Ranger asked.**

**"Do we need clearance or something before we leave the building?"**

**I'd meant it as a joke but Ranger wasn't smiling. "Two of my men will be with you wherever you go. Let Tank know when you're leaving and where you're going, he'll let you know who's coming with you."**

**"This will be fun," I said sarcastically as I got up.**

**"Thank you for doing this," Ranger said.**

**I didn't know what to say to that so I just shrugged, took the papers with me to the break room, got myself a cup of coffee and then settled down in one of the cubicles to read.**

**The Ortizes were more or less a ****family business.**** Manuel Ortiz was the head of the family, and he had brothers and cousins working for him. Not a single woman in the mix, so that would make it easier in dressing rooms and restrooms, at least. I studied their photos, but there was nothing about them that stood out, other than that they were all Latinos.**

**After an hour, I decided I'd learned enough about the Ortizes and put all the pages in a file folder. Junior and Hal had just come in from a job and greeted me warmly.**

**"We'll be with you today," Junior said. "Wherever you go, we'll follow!"**

**Oh joy. I loved Hal, but with them in tow, we'd stick out like sore thumbs wherever we'd go. And for the first time I wondered if I'd done the right thing. **

**Ranger interrupted us then. As soon as Junior and Hal saw him, they remembered they had an elsewhere to be and disappeared.**

**"Do you have any questions about the file?" Ranger asked. **

**"I think I'll recognize them if I see them," I said. "But do you have any idea what it is they'll be trying? Are they out to kidnap Conchita, shoot her, or what?"**

**Ranger shrugged, that is to say his shoulder moved up a fraction of an inch. "We have to be prepared for anything. I don't know if they would have taken her yesterday or just hurt her. I don't think they're out to kill her, because she wouldn't do them any good dead, but we can't rule it out completely. Expect anything and everything."**

**Well, that narrowed it down, I tihought sarcastically. I wasn't surprised Ranger could detach himself and talk about Conchita as if she were a stranger, Ranger was a professional. He never showed feelings on the job.**

**"Chita called looking for you,"****Ranger said after a pause.**

**With that, he just turned and left, no 'good luck' or anything. Fine, I thought, it was only temporary, after all. And I was sort of glad he didn't come upstairs with me because I could definitely do without witnessing any PDAs.**

**I took my time, stopping at the ladies' room to freshen up, before I took the elevator upstairs. It was weird. I've only ever gone upstairs to stay in Ranger's apartment or to see Ranger, nobody else ever stayed in his apartment, as far as I knew. But of course they were engaged, I reminded myself, where else would she be?**

**Even though I had my key fob to open the apartment door, I knocked. Conchita opened the door for me and gave me a wide smile.**

**"You're here! You really came! Thank you so much," she gushed and pulled me into the apartment. "Come in, come in, can I get you some tea?"**

**She led me to the dining table and went to get tea. Conchita was dressed in jeans and a wide empire-waist tunic that hid her belly. But since I knew it was there just looking at her gave me a stab of jealousy and I suddenly felt like leaving.**

**"So," I said when she'd set a cup of tea in front of me and had taken her seat. "What are your plans for today?"**

**I took a look around and noted that there were no signs Conchita had made Ranger's apartment her home. There were no pictures on the ****walls or knick knacks on end tables, no cookie jar in the kitchen. The ****apartment looked like always, like Ranger. I took that as a good sign, although I didn't know why.**

**"I want to go shopping," Conchita said and took a sip of her tea. "I can hardly fit into my clothes anymore."**

**Okay, shopping was easy enough, I was a pro at it. "Sure," I said. "The mall?"**

**"It will be fun to shop without bodyguards," Conchita said.**

**"Well," I said, "Junior and Hal will be with us."**

**Conchita looked disappointed. "I thought you…"**

**"They'll stay behind," I told her. "But I'm just an extra set of eyes, I can't be your bodyguard."**

**She sighed. "I can't wait for all this to be over. All I want is to be alone again."**

**"Do you think the Ortizes will ever leave your dad alone?" I asked.**

**"Carlos is working on it," she said. "He's hoping to find enough evidence against ****them,**** the cops only need one good reason."**

**"Well, let's hope we're not the ****ones giving them that****reason today," I said and stood to take my empty cup to the kitchen.**

**We collected Hal and Junior on our way out and took the elevator down to the garage. Junior beeped a black Ford Explorer open and we all piled in.**

**Traffic was light compared to rush hour and we made it to Meadow Glen Mall in less than a half hour.  
"See if you can find a space near Macy's," I told Hal. "That's where we're gonna start."**

**Hal found us a parking space really close to the entrance and after Junior did a quick sweep of the parking lot, we were allowed to leave the car. The two Merry Men followed us into Macy's a few steps behind. If I didn't look back, I could pretend this was just a regular shopping trip.**

**We headed straight to the maternity department and Conchita began to browse. I tried not to look out of place as I commented on the outfits she held out to me. This area of Macy's was almost empty, and anyone from the Ortiz clan would have really stood out, so I relaxed a little. Hal and Junior were hanging back, scanning the area.**

**A few minutes later, Conchita headed for the dressing room, loaded with four pairs of pants and a couple shirts. I sat down in the big comfy chair just outside and waited.**

**When she still hadn't come out after about ten minutes, I got up to check on her. Since Conchita was the only one in the dressing room, I knew she was behind the only closed door. Just as I was about to knock, I heard her voice.**

**"I'm out shopping," she said and I figured she was on the phone.**

**I was going to trot back to my chair but the next thing she said made me freeze in my tracks. **

**"I miss you, too," she almost whispered. "It won't be long now, you know that."**

**I couldn't hear the other end of the conversation, but to me it sounded like she was talking to her dad.**

**"Oh baby, I love you too," Conchita said and**** I couldn't breathe. What the fuck?? ****"Our baby is doing just fine, I had my three month check-up the other day." **

**Oh my God! I knew she wasn't talking to Ranger, since he knew we were out shopping, why would she tell him? And unless she had a very weird relationship with her dad, she wouldn't call him baby. And ****_our_**** baby? Holy shit!**

**"Uh-huh****," she ****was saying. "I can't wait either. But you know it's for the best."**

**I didn't know whether to leave or listen until the end. I held my breath as I leaned against the dressing room wall. What should I do?**

**"You know I want ****to,**** baby, but I gotta stay here," Conchita said.**

**I decided I'd heard enough and cleared my throat. I couldn't listen to any more of this. It was either letting her know I was there or scream.**

**"I gotta go," she said. "I love you ****too,**** baby." **

**"You need any help, Conchita?" I asked as if I'd just arrived, keeping my voice normal with some effort. **

**My heart was hammering in my chest. I don't know how I made it through the rest of the shopping trip pretending everything was dandy. My mind was reeling. **

**How much did Ranger know? What should I tell him? I didn't know if I should confront Conchita before talking to Ranger.**

**By the time we arrived back at Haywood, Conchita was in high spirits, but I was a mess.**

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: What do you think Steph should do, should she tell Ranger or start her own investigation? Should she confront Conchita or play along as if nothing happened?**


	13. My daddy lived a lie

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

Many thanks for all your reviews, I appreciate them so much. You have no idea how much inspiration they bring me!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Muchas gracias to Stayce for all her help and edit!

* * *

Chapter 13

My daddy lived a lie, that's just the price that he paid

"That was fun," Conchita said after we got all her bags up to the 7th floor with Hal's help. "I got clothes for the next six months."

After Macy's we'd hit a maternity store and Conchita was in retail heaven. Me, not so much. My lip was sore from biting it. My mind was still racing, trying to come up with what to do next. The only thing I was sure of was that I couldn't confront Conchita. I had no idea what to say! Sure, I could open with 'Are you cheating on Ranger?', but if she denied I had nothing to go on.

There was no way Ranger knew, he once told me he didn't share. If he knew Conchita was seeing somebody else, if he even suspected the baby wasn't his, he wouldn't marry her. But I couldn't tell Ranger without proof. Why should he believe me over her?

So what was stopping me from confronting Conchita, telling her that I was on to her?

For one, I wasn't sure. I'd only heard one end of the conversation and there was a chance I'd misunderstood. Maybe she was very close to her brother and called him 'baby'? I badly needed to talk to someone about this; I couldn't wait to get back to RangeMan.

"We should do lunch," Conchita said, interrupting my thoughts.

I thought of Lester's invitation, I'd been looking forward to doing lunch with him. But Conchita was my job and I was supposed to be with her. I decided I'd just do two lunches and agreed. "Do you know Pino's?"

Hal and Junior were all for it, they'd get to eat a real lunch instead of no-mayo turkey sandwiches at RangeMan. But afterConchita had stored all her bags away she didn't feel so well.

"I think I'm gonna take a nap," she said.

"You sure you're okay?" I asked. She looked a little pale.

She nodded. "Just need a little rest. All this running around at the mall made me pretty tired."

I hated to admit it, but that fit my plans much better. I was dying to grill Lester about how much he knew.

Conchita lay down on the couch and I got her a bottle of water and told her to call me if she needed anything, then I took the elevator down to 5. I had to talk to someone, right about now!

"Lester, you still up for lunch?" I asked him when I entered the control room.

"I thought you'd never asked," he said dramatically and grinned.

"I'm just gonna give Ranger my report, then I'm all yours," I said and smiled back at him.

There was just something about Lester that made you want to flirt. And focusing on Lester made it easier to talk to Ranger. I'd already decided that I couldn't tell Ranger about what I'd found out. Not without proof. If I told him now I'd come across as the jealous ex.

"Come in," Ranger said when I knocked on his door.

He was sitting at his desk behind piles of paperwork that looked bigger than the ones from this morning and he looked tired.

"We're back from shopping," I said, anxious to get this over with.

"Everything go okay?"

It was a rhetorical question, of course, if anything had happened he would have heard from Hal and Junior.

I nodded. "Conchita is upstairs resting, so I'm gonna go to lunch."

Ranger looked up then and our eyes held for a moment. "Anything you wanna talk about?"

"No, everything's fine," I lied.

He seemed to think about that for a beat but then he nodded. "She'll call you if she needs you… and Steph,"

I had been ready to leave and now turned around from the door. "Thank you for doing this."

Suddenly I had a lump in my throat. If only I could tell him!

Ranger didn't trust anyone lightly. Whatever it was about Conchita, it had made Ranger lethis guard down and trust her so completely that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. And she was betraying that trust. I owed it to Ranger to have all the facts before I told him anything, so I just nodded weakly and murmured "Sure" before I grabbed the door handle again and left his office.

I was quiet in the car on the way over to the diner Lester had picked, trying to come up with a way to ask Lester what he knew. Too quiet, apparently.

"You OK, Steph?" Lester asked

"I'm fine," I lied. "So what's so special about this diner?"

"Nothing as special as the lady I'm taking there," he said flirtatiouslyand squeezed my hand.

As it turned out, the one thing about this Italian eatery close to the Burg was that everyone working there knew Lester by name. The hostess who seated us fanned herself when Lester smiled at her and the waitress completely ignored me as she took our drink order. It was a small family-run diner with checkered table cloths and real flowers on the table, really comfortable.

"Come here often?" I teased Lester when we were alone.

"Every chance I get, it's good for my ego," he said and winked at me.

We made small talk while we waited for our drinks and I scanned the menu. I was trying to come up with a nonchalant way to mention Conchita.

I chose an Italian sub and Lester ordered the chicken parm and when the waitress left I decided to just go for it.

"So, what do you think of Conchita?" I asked, playing with my silverware.

"She's all right," he said neutrally. "I don't really know her."

"How long has she been dating Ranger?" I bit my lip. I had no idea where that had come from. So much for beating around the bush.

Lester frowned. "No idea. You know Ranger doesn't talk about this stuff, especially not with me. First time I met her was when she moved in a week ago."

"Who does he talk about her with?"

Lester shook his head. "Don't know. Look, can I ask you a question?" He didn't wait for my answer. "Why did you take the job?"

"What do you mean?"

"Come on Steph. It's no secret there was something going on between you and the boss. Why would you take a job protecting your rival?" He made air quotes while he said the last word.

Damn. I had planned on grilling Lester, not being interrogated myself. When in doubt, deny!

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I said, taking a sip of my soda to hide my embarrassment.

"Come on, Steph, you need a knife to cut the sexual tension between you two. I know, I'm an expert on the subject."

I shrugged. "Obviously whatever is there isn't mutual."

He frowned. "You mean you're over him?"  
"It's a moot point, Les, he's engaged."

"But that's what I mean," he gestured wildly. "Why would you torture yourself by being around them all the time?"

Because I got drunk and agreed to something I regretted this morning? Was that the truth? What had stopped me from just calling Ranger and cancelling? Pride? Honor? Shit, I had no clue.

"Maybe I wanted to be around you more," I said, trying to steer the conversation away from them.

He smiled. "Maybe that's really what I'm trying to find out here."

Oh. OH! It took me a moment to realize what he was saying. He was trying to find out if I was over Ranger enough to go out with him!  
Our food arrived at that moment and I had a minute to think about what I was going to say. Could this have gone any morewrong? I set out trying to find out about Conchita and then I thought Lester was on to me, but instead, he was trying to gauge my feelings for Ranger to see if the coast was clear for him!

And what, a tiny voice suddenly asked, would be so wrong with that? Lester was single, I was single. And Ranger couldn't have a problem with this, he was the engaged one after all. But I had to make sure I wasn't reading too much into Lester'sflirting.

"Are you saying you want to spend more time around me?" I asked around a mouthful of sub.

"In my not-so-subtle way," he said smiling. "Trying to find out what you'd say if I asked you out."

"You already asked me out, here I am," I said nervously.

Shit, I'd been right. My mind was going a mile a minute. What should I say?

"For real, Steph," Lester said and put his silverware down. "Would you come to dinner with me Friday night?"

The tiny voice urged me to say yes. It was a guaranteed good time, that much was sure. And I liked Lester.

"Okay," I heard myself say.

"Seriously?" Lester beamed.

I nodded. "Sure."

"Awesome," he said and picked up his knife and fork to continue eating.

I had just agreed to a date with Lester! And I still hadn't found out anything about Conchita, this was so not going the way I'd planned!

"So, how are they together, Conchita and Ranger?" I asked. "Does she ever come down to the control room?"

Lester shook his head. "When she goes out, she goes straight down to the garage to meet her escort of the day, I've only really met her twice."

"So what do you think about her?" I picked up my earlier thread.

"I don't see it," he said. "I mean, she's not Ranger's type."

"What do you mean?"

"Ranger is more the strong, independent woman kinda guy," he said. "Conchita is shy and pretty helpless."

"Maybe Ranger likes to protect her," I said.

Lester nodded. "Sure, sure, but usually…usually he likes women a little more, you know, spirited."

"Spirited?"

"Well, like you. Stubborn, independent, strong."

I shrugged. "Guess you were wrong about that."

"Hey, his loss is my gain," he said and laughed, picked up his Coke and raised his glass.

"But you haven't told me what you think," I reminded him when we'd drunk.

"Between you and me," he said and I nodded. "I don't like her. I don't trust her. I don't know what Ranger sees in her, but I'd bet bigmoney she's up to something Ranger doesn't know about."

I almost choked on the bite I'd just taken and forced myself to stay calm. "What do you mean?"  
"It's just a feeling," Lester said. "Like I said, I don't know her. Just something about her."

I bit my lip. Should I tell Lester about the phone conversation I'd overheard? Would he believe me?  
"Whydo you ask?" he said as if reading my mind.

"Oh, I don't know," I hedged. "I got the same feeling you have, I guess."

"Want me to poke around?" Lester offered? "You know, do a full background check and stuff?"

"Can you do that without Ranger knowing? He'd be pissed if he found out!"

"You're not kidding," Lester laughed. "But yeah, I think I can get around that. If it stays between us."

"Scout's honor," I said, putting my hand over my heart.

Lester snorted. "This is Scout's honor," he said and did the hand sign. "The way you do it is the pledge of allegiance."

Lester's phone chirped at that moment and he answered it so all I could do to save my dignity was to stick my tongue out at him.

"We better get back," he said when he'd hung up. "Tank needs me for a take down."

We finished our lunch and Lester paid, and from the look on the waitress' face, he left a generous tip. Or maybe he'd just smiled at her.

"You know what?" Lester said on our way back to Haywood, taking my hand.

"What?"

"We have a date on Friday!"

Oh boy. As if I didn't have enough to worry about already.

TBC

* * *

A/N: Should Steph confide in Lester, can she trust him? And what do you think a background check on Chita will reveal?


	14. Why you wanna tell me how to live

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

My sincere apologies for taking so long to update, inspiration took forever to strike.

Merci beaucoup to Stayce for editing and being honest

* * *

Chapter 14

Why you wanna tell me how to live my life?

**So in a nutshell, I'd found out nothing new about Conchita but I landed a date with Lester, which had me in kind of a state. Why had I agreed to it?**

**Okay, so I knew why. I was a single woman who hadn't had a social orgasm in months and Lester was hot. I'd been just as dazzled by his smile and his soft voice as the waitresses at the diner. Plus, he'd been flirting with me and when Lester turns it on, he's irresistable.**

**But did I know what I was doing? Hell no!**

**I'd just added to my list of problems. Lester was supposed to help me, not complicate things.**

**But when he took my hand and kissed it lightly just before we got out the car, I melted. Maybe a date with him wasn't such a bad idea after all. At least I'd have time to think about it, it was only Tuesday. If I changed my mind, I would just tell him so and he would tease me for weeks ****about how I broke his heart but he'd get over it. He was Lester. He probably only had Friday night free because some girl cancelled on him. I was getting myself worked up over nothing.**

**He kept a professional distance between us as soon as the security ****cameras were on us, but he was still smiling. Damn my Hungarian hormones, I was imagining what it would be like to kiss him!**

**By the time we reached the control room, I had myself under control again. I took my seat in the cubby and called the bonds office to see if any new skips had come in.**

**"We thought you'd gone on vacation or something," Connie greeted me. "You haven't checked in for days! Vinnie is having a coronary, he thinks he can forget about the bond for the three skips you have."**

**"I'm working on it," I told her, "Doing the background check thing. I'm gonna try my first one this afternoon."**

**"Make Billy Schmitt your first one," Connie said. "We have little more than a day to turn him in."**

**I leafed through my file. Billy Schmitt was an unarmed drunk and disorderly.**

**"Piece of cake," I told Connie. "I just need to make sure I can go out after him."**

**"Who do you need clearance from?" she wanted to know.**

**I sighed. Here we go. I told her the story in as few words as possible but it still took me five minutes.**

**"You're kidding!" was Connie's reaction.**

**"No, I really need the money," I said.**

**"Uh-huh. And you need it so bad you're watching Ranger's fiancée? You need to get your ass in here pronto, I want details!"**

**"I just told you!" I said. "That's all there is."**

**"Bring me Billy's receipt and we talk," she said and we disconnected.**

**I made the decision right then to not tell Connie about my date. She'd never get over that one.**

**A dark shadow fell over my cube and I didn't have to look up to know Ranger was standing behind me, I just knew.**

**"Chita will stay in for the rest of the day," he said when I looked up. "You're free to leave if you want."**

**"You're kicking me out?" I teased.**

**"No, you're welcome to stay and use the computers as long as you want."**

**So much for friendly banter then. Ranger was all-business.**

**"I have a few FTA's I need to bring in," I said.**

**"Need any help?"**

**"Are you offering?" Bounty hunting with Ranger was fun and I'd get to be alone with him.**

**"Tell Vince what you need, he'll come with you."**

**I wondered if the disappointment I felt was showing on my face, I was going for blank face but usually didn't have much luck with that. Maybe it was better if I wasn't alone with Ranger, I still had no clue how to tell him about Chita's phone call. By now I was sure Ranger had no idea, he would never marry her if he knew about the other****man. He'd told me once he didn't share and I knew he meant that. I didn't exactly wanted to be the one to break it to him that was finacee was cheating on him and the baby wasn't his.**

**Ranger reached out and pushed a wayward curl behind my ear. "I have too much work to do to come myself," he said quietly.**

**'He's engaged to be married!' I tried telling myself as my heartbeat sped up when Ranger touched me.**

**"I…I didn't…ex-expect you to." Damn, why was I stuttering?**

**He gave me one of his rare smiles. "Had a nice lunch?" he asked, switching gears.**

**He knew! I didn't know how he could possibly know, but it was obvious. But he couldn't, could he? I decided to play it cool.**

**"Yeah, it was nice." It probably didn't help that I blushed when I said it.**

**I couldn't read Ranger's expression when he nodded, but the smile was gone. "Tell Vince what you need," he said as he turned and left.**

**What the hell was that all about? I sunk back in my chair, confused.**

**Lester! I had to find Lester and ask him who he told!**

**I quickly logged off of my computer and scanned the room. Lester was sitting at the monitors, alone. I sidled over to him, grabbing a report I'd just finished as a prop.**

**I looked around quickly to make sure the others were out of earshot. Hal was in a cubicle talking to Bobby, the coast was clear. Only now I had no idea how to ask Lester without sounding like a dunce.**

**"What's up?" he asked, eying the report in my hand.**

**"Uhm…so I was wondering if…if…"  
"Yes?" He raised an eyebrow.**

**"Did you…uhm…tell anyone about our lunch?" **

**He smiled. "That we went out or that we're going out?"**

**"Both."**

**"Well since the whole floor saw us leaving and returning together, I'd say that's not a secret," he said.**

**Duh. How could I forget that little detail? Of course Ranger knew we'd gone to lunch, and that's all he knew. It was my guilty conscience that assumed he knew about the date. But why should I feel guilty about that? So what if Lester told all of RangeMan, I was a single woman!**

**I smiled back at him. "Just wondering," I said lamely.**

**He winked. "I figured the other part isn't really anyone's business."**

**"I agree," I said, relieved for some reason. "I'm all done for the day, so I'm gonna take off."**

**Lester nodded. "See you tomorrow then?"**

**I gave him a finger wave as I made my exit. He really was a nice guy.**

**What I needed was a dozen doughnuts and an honest girl talk. I was done mulling it over by myself, I needed another opinion! **

**On the way to the Tasty Pastry I was trying to decide who'd give me the best advice. Connie and Lula knew Ranger best, but Mary Lou was my best friend. Then I rememberd that Mary Lou's kids had a gazillion things to do during the school week, so most likely she wasn't even home, and I really couldn't wait any longer. So I bought my doughnuts and headed over to the bonds office.**

**By the time I pulled up in front, half the dozen was gone, but I felt much calmer.**

**"About time," Connie greeted me. "Tell me everything!"**

**"I didn't catch Billy Schmitt yet," I said.**

**Connie waved impatiently. "He can wait. You know exactly what I mean!"**

**"I thought he was important?" I said.**

**"That day is young, and the sooner you tell me all about your new job, you can go after him."**

**I couldn't argue with that logic so I just put the doughnuts down and sat down on the couch. "Where's Lula?"**

**"She's at the salon, getting her hair done. I didn't tell her yet, she's still not over the fact that Ranger's engaged."**

**I took a deep breath and told Connie about the mall incident.**

**"You took those guys on all by yourself?" Connie asked impressed.**

**"Call and Junior handled them," I admitted. "I was just the distraction."**

**"But his fiancée thinks you can protect her?"**

**"Conchita," I told her. "It turns out she feels uncomfortable with Ranger's men."**

**Connie smiled. "I don't know, I feel pretty comfortable with mine." And she actually blushed.**

**I'd forgotten all about Connie and Hal in the Ranger engagement chaos. Maybe Connie could help me in more ways than one!**

**"How is Hal?" I asked, selecting a doughnut.**

**"Don't change the subject," Connie said. "I still don't see why you would agree to protect, what's her name, Conchita? Sounds like a banana to me." **

**"She came over and asked me, what was I supposed to say?" **

**"No would have been a good start."**

**"I didn't think of that," I said sarcastically. "She was really nice about it."  
"And she's Ranger's fiancée," Connie pointed out.**

**I sighed. "There's more."**

**Connie leaned forward in her chair. "What?"**

**I looked around. "Is Vinnie in, can he hear us?"  
Connie shook her head. "He's at the court house posting bail, we're alone."**

**"So my first day was today. Conchita wanted to go shopping."**

**"Okay, you're good at that."**

**"While Conchita was trying on her clothes I sort of accidentally overheard her on the phone." I took a deep breath and told Connie everything I'd heard.**

**When I was finished Connie sucked in some air. "You've got to be kidding me!"**

**I shook my head. "No. And now I don't know what to do about it."**

**"You didn't tell him?"**

**"You think I should?"**

**Connie leaned back, thinking. **

**"Help me out here, Connie, I don't know what to say to him. I have no proof or anything."**

**"You want me to talk to Hal about it?" she asked.**

**"No. Yes. Maybe, I don't know." I got up and started pacing. "I don't think he knows, and I'd hate to be the one to tell him."**

**"He'd probably prefer to hear it from you than find out after the wedding," Connie pointed out.**

**"What do you think, do you think she's having an affair?"**

**"Sounds like it to me…and if it were me I'd want to know."**

**Suddenly I remembered Brian, my date from a few days ago. Ranger said something about him that I never asked him about. Maybe I could bring it up again and somehow segue over to Conchita? That could be an in.**

**Connie interrupted my thoughts. "Looks like here's your chance now."**

**I looked up. Sure enough, a black Porsche Cayenne had pulled up right behind my car and Ranger was getting out.**

**"Oh my God!" I shrieked. "He can't see me, us, here, now, he'll know something is up!"  
Connie stayed calm. "He already knows you're here."  
"I gotta go!" I grabbed my purse and was looking for a clean getaway, but the purse strap got caught on the couch cushion and the entire contents spilled out onto the floor just as the door opened. Shit.**

**"Ladies," Ranger said as he approached Connie's desk with some files in his hand.**

**Connie blushed beet red and judging by the heat in my face I looked the same so I quickly busied myself with collecting my stuff off the floor. It didn't work, a moment later, Ranger's face was next to mine and he held out my wallet. His face was expressionless as usual while mine probably spoke volumes. I felt busted and most likely I looked it.**

**"Can I talk to you outside?"**

**  
Shit!!**

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: Now is her chance, what do you think, should she tell Ranger even though she has no proof? How will Ranger react if she did?**


	15. Mama, can you hear me Try to understand

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Many thanks to Stayce for all the help and support

* * *

Chapter 15

Mama, can you hear me? Try to understand.

**The thing is, as pathetic as it might be, I can't say no to Ranger. I hadn't been able to turn down****the bodyguarding job and I really couldn't think of a good excuse not to talk to him when he asked me. Oh, I tried. I quickly glanced at Connie who was still beet-red.**

**"Uhm, I was just talking to Connie about my FTAs…"  
"It can wait," Ranger said.**

**And that was it, I was out of excuses. And to be honest, now I was curious what was so important that he couldn't tell me in front of Connie.**

**Ranger didn't wait for my answer, he just turned and walked out of the office, expecting me to follow him. He didn't wait right outside either, he turned left, and I knew where he was going: the alley that runs next to the bonds office, where we could be alone.**

**Connie found her voice again. "You should tell him," she whispered as if Ranger could still hear us.**

**"Wish me luck," I said a bit dramatically and took a deep breath.**

**Just as I'd expected, Ranger was waiting for me in the alley. I didn't meet his eyes as I slowly walked towards him.**

**"What's up?" I asked innocently when I was close.**

**Ranger reached out and put his finger under my chin, nudging my head up. "Look at me, please," he said. **

**I finally raised my eyes. His eyes bored into mine and I was unable to look away.**

**"Is there something you want to tell me?"**

**I was sure at that moment that he already knew everything and was just waiting for me to explain. Apparently Lester hadn't kept his word, or Ranger had somehow weaseled it out of him. If he knew about Conchita he would have confronted me at RangeMan.**

**So I decided to go with the truth, not that I had any other option the way Ranger looked at me.**

**"He asked me out," I said.**

**For the tiniest moment, Ranger looked confused and I knew I'd been wrong. This wasn't at all about Lester, it was about the uncomfortable moment in the bonds office. Shit!**

**Ranger's hand was still under my chin so I couldn't look away from him.**

**"Who?" he wanted to know.**

**'Okay, Stephanie,' I thought, 'Just tell him the truth, you didn't do anything****wrong, except jump to conclusions.'**

**"Lester. We're going out Friday," I said, trying to back out of Ranger's grip.**

**"You're going on a date with Lester?" he asked.**

**I didn't care for the accusatory tone his voice took. Was he judging me? The nerve! I went from nervous to pissed immediately.**

**"Not that it's any of your business, but yes."**

**"It ****_is_**** my business," he said and took a step forward, pinning me against the wall.**

**He lowered his face to mine and as soon as I realized what he was doing, I turned my head. He was going to kiss me! His lips landed on my cheek as I squirmed out of his grip. **

**"What are you doing?" I almost yelled. "Let go of me!"**

**I couldn't believe he kissed me! Waht was wrong with him? I couldn't believe I turned away from him! What was wrong with _me_? Well, I knew why I had pulled away. If there's one thing I'm not, it's Joyce Barnhard. I will not become a home wrecker, no matter how much Conchita cheated on him, I would not become the 'other woman'!**

**Ranger still had me pinned against the wall; his face was now the blank mask. I realized it was the first time I had ever denied him anything and I wondered if he'd noticed.**

**"You will not go out with Santos, it's against company policy," he said calmly. **

**Suddenly all the anger was back. Everything I'd felt since I heard he was getting married came boiling back up and all I wanted to do was slap him.**

**"How about if I just fuck him?" I spat. "That seems to be within company policy since the boss did it!"**

**Ranger took a step back and released me. His eyes narrowed. "I would consider it grounds for immediate termination," he said dangerously soft. "Of both of you."**

**"What?" I couldn't believe he would threaten me like that, I must have heard wrong.**

**"It's your choice," he said and turned away from me. **

**"You can't fire me because I quit," I said, barely keeping my voice below screaming level.**

**He stopped and faced me again. "I never thought you were one for being just another notch on a man's belt."**

**That did it. The urge to hurt him was back. "You were fine with it when it was your belt! Just because your fiancée is cheating on you no one else gets to be happy?"**

**That wasn't supposed to slip out, and certainly not as grade school-y as it had sounded but he'd gotten me so furious that I was just trying for a way to hurt him back. I clamped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late of course, I'd already said it.**

**He was inches from me in less than a heartbeat. "Explain!"**

**"What do you call that night we had, a relationship?" I back paddled.**

**A muscle worked in Ranger's jaw, the only sign that he was as pissed off as I was. He didn't have to tell me that's not what he'd meant, his eyes communicated that message just fine. And I crumbled.**

**"I…I think Conchita has another man, and he is the father of her child. I overheard her talking to him when we were out shopping****." **

**There, I'd said it. I took a deep breath of relief when it was out.**

**"Interesting theory," Ranger said after a moment. "Do you have any proof for it?"**

**"I…no," I admitted.**

**"I didn't think so. And even if it were true, it doesn't change the company policy on relationships."**

**With that he turned and walked away, leaving me slumped against the wall with my mouth hanging open. I had no idea what just happened. Did he not hear me? Why hadn't he asked for any details? I tried to run after him to stop him, but my legs wouldn't obey, I could just stare at the mouth of the alley where he had disappeared. What the fuck was wrong with him?**

**The only thing that remotely made sense was that he didn't believe me. He must have thought I made it up to annoy him, or whatever. But he knew me! He knew I would never lie to him and why would I make up such a story? It didn't even make sense!**

**I was still shaking my head in disbelief when Connie rounded the corner, the heels of her pumps echoing of the walls.**

**"Steph, you okay?" she asked.**

**I nodded and straightened up. "I'm fine."**

**"When Ranger tore outta here like a bat out of hell and you didn't come back in, I thought…well I didn't know what to think!"**

**"I told him," I said. **

**"That would explain the fast getaway," Connie said.**

**"No, he didn't believe me."**

**"How exactly did you tell him?" she asked.**

**"I said she had another man who was the child's father," I said.**

**"Well, you coulda made it a little less blunt than that!"  
"No, I'm telling you Connie, he didn't believe me. Said it wouldn't change company policy even if it was true and left!" I gestured towards the street as if she could still see Ranger leave.**

**"What company policy?" Connie asked.**

**Me and my mouth again. Why do these things always pop out? I sighed.**

**"Lester asked me out and Ranger said it was against company policy."**

**"Lester?" Connie shrieked, apparently forgetting about Ranger. "On a date? Did you say yes? Why didn't you tell me?"**

**Now I remembered the reason I hadn't told her in the first place, a lot of good it did me now.**

**"It's no big deal," I said.**

**"And you told Ranger?" Connie went on as if she didn't hear me. "Are you insane? If Lester isn't dead within the next hour he'll wish he was!"**

**"What are you talking about?" I wanted to know.**

**Connie linked her arm through mine and slowly led me out of the alley. "You know exactly what I'm talking about, Ranger considers you his woman."**

**I scoffed. "He's engaged to be married Connie, and the last time I checked it wasn't to me."**

**"That doesn't change the way he feels about you," Connie said.**

**"I'd say it makes it pretty clear how he feels about me," I countered. "And anyway, Ranger doesn't do jealous."**

**"You didn't see him take off," Connie said. "There's an inch of rubber on those skid marks."**

**"Didn't you hear me? He didn't believe me! I told him everything and he didn't believe me.**

**We had reached the office by now and Connie held the door for me. I grabbed a doughnut and fell back onto the couch.**

**"He didn't believe me about Conchita."**

**"Did you tell him about Lester first or about Conchita?" Connie asked.**

**"About Lester, because I thought he knew," I said.**

**Connie snorted. "That makes sense then. He was blind with jealousy and didn't even hear you right!"**

**"First of all, he's not jealous," I said. "And second of all, I know he heard me because he asked me if I had proof."**

**"He's probably confronting her right after he finishes with Lester," Connie said.**

**"Connie, would you knock it off? He's not jealous and you're not listening, he didn't believe me!" **

**Was I speaking English? No one seemed to understand me today.**

**"I know he was something," Connie said, "Because he's never left here like that. If it was me, I'd warn Lester."**

**This was too frustrating. First Ranger and now Connie.**

**"I gotta go," I said as I grabbed my purse and turned to go.**

**"Wait," Connie said, getting up from behind her desk. "You haven't told me about your date yet!"  
I threw up my hand in frustration and left. So much for sharing, I was deeper in trouble than before I'd come here!**

**My cell phone rang just as was about to start my car. It was my mother, just about the last person I wanted to talk to. But I knew if I didn't answer she would just continue calling so I sighed and hit the answer key.**

**"Stephanie Plum, would it hurt you to check in every once in a while? I get a heart attack every time I hear sirens because I have no idea where you are or what you're doing."**

**I closed my eyes. This could not be happening right this minute. I bit my lip to hold back a snarky remark. "Hi, Mom."**

**"We're having pork chops for dinner tonight. Why don't you come over?"**

**Since my fridge was perpetually empty and I didn't like cooking, that didn't sound bad. I could let my family's crazy antics wash over me and forget about real life for an hour. **

**"I'll be there," I promised my mom and we said goodbye.**

**There was no way Connie was right, but I wondered if I should tell Lester that Ranger knew. Just in case he was called into the boss's office and got a talking to about company policy and such.**

**I called RangeMan and asked for Lester but was told he wasn't at his desk at that moment. Probably he was in the men's room, right? It was just Connie's crazy talk that made me nervous, that was all.**

**I had to distract myself, and fast. My eyes fell on the file folders in my purse and I knew what I had to do. Chasing skips would make me forget all about Lester, Ranger and the whole shit for a while!**

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: Was Steph right to tell Ranger about her suspicion? Was Ranger jealous or just being corporate boss Ranger? Should Steph go ahead with the date? Do you think Connie was right about Ranger and Lester?**


	16. Looking for forgiveness

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Tausend Dank to Stayce for her help and support, and for letting me spend Thanksgiving with her!

* * *

Chapter 16

** Looking for forgiveness**

**Billy Schmitt was at home when I got to his house a half hour later, I knew because he slammed the door in my face when I went through my spiel about him forgetting his court date.**

**I banged on his door. "Look," I yelled, "Vinnie is downtown at the moment, he can bail you out just as soon as you get registered."**

**"Really?" he asked from behind the door.**

**"I'm calling him right now." And I did, hoping I was right about Vinnie's whereabouts. **

**Vinnie was actually just leaving the court house when I called, but I told him to wait a few minutes to bail Billy out again.**

**"He's waiting for us," I told Billy.**

**He opened the door and actually came with me willingly. While I was happy about the $500 that would bring me, it still wasn't the distraction I was looking for.**

**I'd promised Billy I'd take him home after his hearing, so I sat in my car waiting in front of the court house when my phone rang. Caller ID said it was RangeMan calling and for a second I just wanted to ignore it. But then my curiosity won and I answered.**

**"Hi, it's Lester," he said.**

**He didn't sound like he was in agony and I was actually relieved. Connie had me more worried that I was willing to admit.**

**"Junior said you called earlier. What's up?"**

**I had called him to check if he was still alive, but I couldn't tell him that. I thought about lying but I couldn't come up with a good excuse either.**

**"Have you talked to Ranger?" I asked hesitantly.**

**Lester snorted. "He's not in the mood for talking right now. He went out, and when he came back he slammed his office door shut. Why?"**

**I decided to go with the truth. "I sort of told him that we were going out on Friday."**

**"Oh man." Lester whistled. "That would explain the foul mood."  
"I didn't mean to," I said. "I thought he already knew."**

**"It's not a secret," Lester said. "Is it?"**

**"No, no," I said quickly. "It's just that Ranger wasn't too happy about it."**

**"He'll get over it."**

**"I know but…" I hesitated. "Uhm…"  
"What?" Lester asked.**

**"He said that it was against RangeMan policy."**

**"So you're canceling on me?" Lester wanted to know.**

**Apparently Ranger's mood didn't bother him as much as me bailing out.**

**"No," I said quickly. "I sort of quit."**

**He laughed. "Don't worry about it Steph, I'll check with HR if there really is such a policy, I've never heard of it."  
"I don't think it mattered before, there are no women working at RangeMan," I pointed out.**

**"Oh yeah," Lester realized. "Look, I'll talk to Ranger, he'll come around."  
I wasn't so sure about that, not after what Connie had said, but I had to admit Lester knew Ranger better than Connie. **

**"In the meantime, we're still on, right?"**

**"Yes," I said, although I didn't know whether to look forward to the date or fear it now. **

**"Good," Lester said. "See you tomorrow." and we disconnected.**

**The fact that Lester was okay and not worried made me feel better. I didn't actually want to quit my job; I had to stay close to Conchita to find out what she was really up to. After Ranger's reaction to my confession, I was determined to find that proof that Ranger wanted.**

**Ranger hadn't believed me because I had no proof, I'd come across like the jealous ex when I blurted out what I'd heard in the dressing room. But I hadn't meant to tell him, it had just sort of slipped out. That didn't change the fact that I knew what I heard and there were no two ways about it. She had been talking to the baby's father and it wasn't Ranger. And just as I'd suspected, Ranger had no idea about the other man.**

**I took a deep breath and stared at the court house, willing Billy to come out so I could take his sorry ass home. I needed to think!**

**I had to wait another 20 minutes before Billy emerged, bitching and moaning about the amount of his bond, I was glad when I could drop him off.**

**There were two more FTAs in my pile and I could really use the money in case Ranger had taken my resignation seriously. I drove over to McDonald's and got large fries and a vanilla shake at the drive through, then I parked to read through the files.**

**It was no good, I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't get over Ranger's ultimatum, Connie's theories and the date with Lester that had started it all. How had I managed to get everything so messed up? **

**Okay, so technically, it was Ranger who had messed up, he was the one who got engaged. The announcement prompted me to realize how I really felt about him and that's when my troubles started.**

**I thunked my head on the steering wheel in frustration. It seemed impossible that only few months ago, everything was fine. Ranger wasn't engaged and I wasn't in love with him. Well, okay, so I hadn't admitted to myself that I was in love with him. But now it was too late to take it back.**

**"Pull yourself together," I instructed myself in my best mom voice.**

**Sitting here wallowing in self pity wouldn't solve anything! I sucked the last drop out of my shake and threw my trash in the bin on my way out, determined to get properly distracted.**

**Rebecca Stavos was about my mom's age and had been caught shop lifting at a lingerie store. She claimed she was too embarrassed to pay for the garter belt, so I guessed she was too embarrassed to show up for her court date too.**

**It took me a half hour to persuade her to come with me, after I called Vinnie, again, to come bail her out.**

**By the time I dropped her at the cop shop it was too late to cash in my body receipts so I went straight home. It had been a long day and I was exhausted, looking forward to a long bath and some mindless TV.**

**When my phone rang as I was in the elevator, I realized I'd forgotten dinner at my parents'. I only answered because I didn't want my mom to think I'd been in an accident, although that was the only acceptable excuse for not showing up for dinner.**

**"Sorry Mom, I had to work," I told her when I picked up.**

**"You could have called," my mom said. "I made extra for you and now we have all these leftovers."**

**"I'll pick them up tomorrow, I promise," I said, knowing my mom always made extra, whether I promised to come for dinner or not.**

**"You could work at the button factory, then you would never miss dinner," Mom said and my eye began to twitch.**

**"I'll think about it," I promised just to get her off my back and we said our goodbyes after that.**

**I unlocked my front door, dropped my purse and my jacket in the foyer and trudged into the bathroom without bothering with lights. I just wanted this day to be over! Was 6:30 too early to go to bed?**

**I soaked in the tub until the water grew cold and still had no idea how to handle Ranger, or Lester for that matter. I went over the conversation I'd had with Ranger over and over and while I didn't agree with Connie, I had to admit he'd been pissed when he left. But had I meant what I said, was I really quitting over Lester? And had I agreed to go out with Lester because I liked him or because it was my plan to make Ranger jealous? I had all the questions and none of the answers, it was frustrating.**

**Wrapped in my warm pink robe, I finally left the bathroom. I looked up because I had the feeling of being watched and froze when I saw Ranger sitting on my bed.**

**He was still in the black on black clothes from earlier but in my dark bedroom, he looked more dangerous than in broad daylight. He sat perfectly still and let his eyes wander up and down my body. I pulled the belt around me tighter, wishing I had one of those ankle-length robes.**

**"What are you doing here?" I asked because the silence between us was making me nervous.**

**"Conchita has a doctor's appointment in the morning," he said calmly. "Will you be there or are you still quitting?"**

**"What if I don't quit, will you fire me?" I countered.**

**"Did you cancel your date?"  
We sounded like a bunch of second graders, it was ridiculous. I took a deep breath instead of answering him, trying to stay calm. Ranger waited.**

**"I don't think my personal life should be RangeMan's business," I said.**

**I meant it was none of Ranger's business who I dated, now that he was engaged, but I was trying to sound more mature.**

**"You're right," Ranger said to my surprise.**

**He stood up and crossed the room to stand right in front of me and took my face in his hands.**

**"Steph, I don't want you to get hurt. You know Lester, he's a player just like your Brian."**

**"What about Brian?" I asked, remembering Ranger had said something about him before.**

**I'd been so busy these past days that I never got a chance to even check my answering machine to see if Brian had called.**

**Ranger just shook his head. My face burned where his hands touched it and I felt the sudden urge to melt into his arms.**

**"I just don't want you to get hurt," he said again.**

**I scoffed and tried to take a step back. 'That's rich, coming from you!' was what I wanted to say but the words wouldn't come out. The only one who hurt me was Ranger; he was the only one who could, because I loved him.**

**A treacherous tear rolled down my cheek and Ranger wiped it away with his thumb. I needed to change the subject before I started sobbing!**

**"So there is no policy?" I asked.**

**He nodded. "The policy exists, it's just never been enforced. There's never been a reason to."**

**He lowered his head and although I knew what was coming, I didn't flinch away. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted nothing more than to kiss him at that moment. If I was honest, I had to admit I'd always wanted to, it was my moral compass that forbade it. It was everything I wanted and everything I didn't want at the same time.  
**

**His lips melted into mine and I opened my mouth with a little moan, meeting his tongue eagerly. The little voice inside me spoke up then, calling me all kinds of names for being the 'other woman' and I thought about pulling back to tell him no, this was wrong, but I had no more fight in me. I realized I'd been waiting for this for months and when Ranger let go of my face to let his hands roam over my back, I closed the short distance between us and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer yet.**

**The kiss grew more demanding as his hands found the knot in my belt and loosened it, one hand sneaking under my robe. Electricity shot through me when I felt his hand on the bare skin of my stomach, inching higher.  
**

**Suddenly I felt Ranger stiffen and he took a step back, breaking the kiss.**

**"I'm sorry," he said curtly and he was gone before my heartbeat had returned to normal.**

**TBC**

**

* * *

A/N: Should Steph feel bad about giving in? Do you think she should run after Ranger to talk and demand answers?  
**


	17. I've knocked on every door

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas and I wish you all a happy new year!

Vielen lieben Dank to Stayce for all her help

* * *

Chapter 17

I've knocked on every door

**The phone woke me the next morning after I'd fallen asleep at dawn. **

**"Steph, is everything okay?" Lester asked.**

**I struggled to open my eyes. "Yes, of course. Why?"**

**"It's almost ten and I was getting worried. You're on the schedule for today so I was expecting you."**

**I sat up straight and took a look at my alarm clock. Sure enough, ten ****to ****ten. I guess that's what you get when you fall asleep around six.**

**"I'm just running a little behind," I told Lester. "I'll be there in an hour."**

**"Better hurry up," Lester said. "If you want to be there when Mrs. Ranger has to leave for her appointment."**

**"I'll be there," I said and hung up.**

**Mrs. Ranger. The nickname stung, like any reminder of Ranger's engagement.**

**I was up all night trying to make sense of my feelings, the kiss and my life. **

**If I accepted Connie's theory that Ranger was jealous, I could explain why he kissed me. But the last thing I expected from Ranger was to cheat. So I was back to why. I couldn't allow myself to think that it was because he had feelings for me, because that didn't matter. At the end of the day, he was engaged to be married to another woman and he shouldn't be going around kissing me for whatever reason.**

**But the fact that I had kissed him back was far worse for me. He didn't make me; I'd wanted to kiss him! Sure, I could justify it with my knowledge that Conchita wasn't pregnant with Ranger's baby, that she had another man, and that would probably convince Connie or Lula if I told them, but I couldn't lie to myself about it.**

**"I shouldn't have kissed him," I told myself as I finally got out of bed to take a shower. "Stupid, stupid, stupid."**

**I was nervous in the car over to Haywood. I didn't know how to react towards Ranger, especially if we weren't alone. How did he expect me to behave around Conchita after the kiss, did he think I wouldn't tell her? Well, okay, so I had no plans to tell her because I already felt guilty, but he couldn't know that.**

**First things first, I decided. I had to get Lester alone to see if he'd had a chance to run that background check. And to ensure him we were still on for Friday, I added. I was never more determined to go on a date! I told myself it was not to make Ranger jealous, although I couldn't quite convince myself I didn't care about that. There was more though, I liked Lester. And if half of the stories about him were true, I was going to have a great time.**

**I distracted myself by thinking about what I'd wear on Friday so by the time I parked in the underground garage I was less nervous. There was nothing I could do about the dark shadows under my eyes, but the three coats of mascara I'd applied were hopefully distracting enough from that. I took a deep breath and plastered a smile on my face as soon as I knew the cameras were on me on the way to the elevator.**

**"Good afternoon, Steph," Bobby greeted me when I entered the control room.**

**I just rolled my eyes and he laughed.**

**"You're with us today," he said, jerking his thumb at Cal. "We're on Mrs. Ranger duty."**

**There was that nickname again. "Okay," I said. "When's the appointment?"  
"Twelve sharp," Bobby said. "She's still upstairs."**

**"Is Ranger with her?" Okay, that was the not-so-subtle way to find out if I'd run into him here in the control room.**

**"Nah, boss is not in, I haven't seen him since yesterday."**

**So where was he? What did Bobby mean? Had he just started his shift and that's why he hadn't seen Ranger or was Ranger in the wind? I wanted to find out but Bobby looked at me funny as if he was wondering why I was so interested in Ranger's whereabouts. **

**"I'll go upstairs then to make sure Conchita is ready," I told him and moved on to my cubby.**

**I scanned the room for Lester and found him just returning from the break room. He returned my finger wave with a big grin and came over.**

**"Good to see you," he said.**

**"Thanks for the wake-up call," I said and smiled.**

**He smiled too. "Any time."**

**I quickly glanced around to make sure we couldn't be overheard, but then I remembered the cameras. You never knew who or what they were on at any given moment.**

**"Wanna do lunch again today?" I asked him.**

**"Sure," he said. "I'll wait till you're free," he said, motioning at Bobby.**

**Oh right, I had no idea when I'd be back or if Conchita wanted to go shopping or to lunch afterwards. I just had to wait a little longer to find out if the search had revealed anything. **

**"See you at lunch then," I said and he winked at me**

**What's that saying? 'Sometimes you have to love what's good for you.' **** I didn't love Lester, but he could be good for me. And, let's face it, who I loved was definitely not good for me. I wasn't quite sure what Ranger was playing at, but he wouldn't turn me into a home wrecker, that much I knew.**

**Maybe Lester wasn't the player everyone made him out to be, maybe he really liked me? If nothing else, it would be a welcomed distraction. I was actually looking forward to our date!**

**I'd made my way over to Cal. "Hi," I said, for lack of a better greeting.**

**"Hola," he greeted me in return.**

**"Guess we're a team today," I said, mentally kicking myself for my exceptional conversation skills. I just didn't know how to talk to Cal.**

**"You ready?" he wanted to know.**

**I checked my watch. "Noon, right?"**

**Cal nodded. "I'm ready," I told him.**

**There was only one doctor I could think of Conchita would go and for once, I was glad of my suspicion. Okay, so my instincts told me I was sure the baby wasn't Ranger's and that was why I was cool with accompanying her to the appointment. I didn't think I could stand her gushing over Ranger's baby on the monitor.**

**Cal joined our little group then. "Do you want to go get Mrs. Ranger from upstairs?"**

**I nodded. Since I knew Ranger wasn't in there was no danger of interrupting any PDAs, I didn't think I'd have the strength to endure them together after last night. Now that I had to add guilt to my mix of feelings, I was lucky if I could appear normal with Conchita alone.**

**"See you in the garage," I told them and headed towards the elevators.**

**I couldn't meet Conchita's eyes when she opened the door for me. I tried telling myself that she was the one who was cheating, I was single after all, but it didn't work.**

**"Are you ready to go?" I asked her when I followed her into the apartment.**

**"Just about," she said and smiled at me. "I'm going to have an ultrasound today."**

**"That's nice," I said, I couldn't think of anything better to say.  
It took her about five minutes to put on her jacket and find her purse, then we left the apartment together.**

**"You look very nice today," Conchita said to me in the elevator.**

**Actually, she looked a lot nicer than I did in my black jeans and turtleneck, but I figured she was making small talk.**

**"Thanks, so do you." **

**Just yesterday, the mere thought of being in the same doctor's office with Conchita would have had me running. The conversation I'd overheard changed all that. Although I had no proof hat Ranger would find valid, I was sure Conchita's baby wasn't Ranger's. That just changed things for me. Somehow a child would have made it that much worse. Ranger was engaged, but he wasn't married yet. I was the queen of denial, I could pretend he'd never get married. No one had said anything about a date to me yet!**

**It was a good thing that I didn't freak out at the thought of the ob/gyn's office; because I had a hard enough time keeping my cool after what happened last night. Apparently I wasn't the only one though; Ranger's absence was suspicious to me. Was he on some urgent job or was he avoiding me after last night? Shouldn't he be the one taking his fiancée to the ultrasound? I thought about this while I waited for Conchita in the waiting room, but couldn't come up with a good answer by the time she was done.**

**"What's next?" I asked her when we were back in the car, hoping she would say she was done.  
"Do you want to do lunch? I'm starving!"**

**Oh joy. More uncomfortable silences to endure, I thought, but nodded. "Sure."**

**"I wish we could do Mexican, but it gives me heartburn," she explained. "How about the Cheesecake Factory?"**

**I nodded and told Bobby we were going to the mall, where I knew the restaurant was. Lunch with Conchita was a little easier to endure with the promise of cheesecake!**

**It felt a little odd sitting at the same table with the two Merry Men, they stood out in every way possible, but other than that, I managed to make it through lunch with the right answers to Conchita's small talk. Luckily I had caught the last episode of The Real Housewives so I knew what she was talking about. And did I mention cheesecake? I was glad she was so talkative, because I wouldn't have had a clue what to say to her. This way, it was far less uncomfortable than I'd feared.**

**It was almost three when we made it back to RangeMan and Conchita announced that she was done going out for the day. That meant my job was over for today and I was free to find Lester, hoping that this time I would be the one getting answers.**

**I saw Conchita to the elevators, declined her offer to 'hang out', and followed Bobby and Cal into the control room. Lester was at the monitors.**

**"Lunch?" I asked him after I'd joined him.**

**"It's a little late for lunch," Lester said.**

**I nodded. "It is. Lunch?"**

**He smiled and picked up the phone. "Let me find Hector to take over for an hour."**

**Five minutes later, Hector showed up and Lester was free to go. **

**"So, restaurant or my place?" he asked me, winking.**

**"Do you even have anything to eat in your apartment?" I only realized what I'd said when he waggled his eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes.  
"Restaurant."**

**He sighed dramatically. "You don't know what you're missing…"**

**I could barely wait until we were out of the cameras' reach inside Lester's car. "Did you have a chance to run the searches?" I asked him as soon as I'd closed my door.**

**"What searches?"**

**"The background check we discussed at lunch?" I realized Lester probably didn't spend every waking minute thinking about Conchita.**

**Lester pulled out of the parking space. "Refresh my memory."**

**"You were going to run a background check on Con..." He was grinning at me and I knew I'd been had. I jokingly boxed his arm. "Very funny."**

**We were on Haywood by now and traffic was light. Lester laughed. "Gotcha."**

**I reminded myself that I'd told Lester the engagement was no big deal to me, so he probably wasn't trying to annoy me, it was just harmless teasing. He couldn't know I'd lost my sense of humor when it came to Ranger.**

**We pulled into Bertucci's parking lot and Lester found a spot in front, right next to the handicapped spaces. "How do you all do that?" I asked. "Every time I look for a parking spot it's in another zip code!"**

**Lester shrugged. "Fortune favors the brave."**

**If I rolled my eyes any more, they'd become stuck some day.**

**The lunch rush was long over so we didn't have to wait for our table. I told Lester I'd already eaten and he grinned. "You just wanted the company?"**

**I bit my lip. If I told him now that I had asked him out to find out the information he'd gotten on Conchita, it would hurt his feelings. But if I lied and told him I wanted to be with him it might encourage him too much, we were just friends after all.**

**"I didn't have my lunch****_ break_****," I said, deciding to go with a neutral response. "Just lunch."**

**"You went out to eat with Bobby and Cal, that should get you hazard pay," he joked and picked up his menu.**

**The waitress all but ignored me as soon as Lester smiled at her and I rolled my eyes. He just had this dazzling effect on all women, as soon as he put on the charm.**

**"Just a Coke for me," I said when she'd taken Lester's order and was about to leave. Jeesh!**

**He smiled at me and I couldn't blame the waitress, he had a killer smile. "You really shouldn't do that to people," I said.**

**Lester chuckled. "But it's fun!"**

**I rolled my eyes, again. "And you're so modest about it."**

**We joked like that until our drinks arrived and when we were alone again I took a deep breath. "So, did you run the background check on Conchita?"**

**He nodded. "I did, but it bored me to tears. She was born, she grew up, she went to school. Not even a speeding ticket, nada."**

**Well, that was anti-climactic. I wasn't sure what I'd been hoping for but I'd expected at least a starting point.**

**"How did she and Ranger meet, anyway?" I wasn't ready to give up just yet.**

**Lester shrugged. "He never said. Ranger isn't exactly into sharing personal information."**

**That was an understatement.**

**"Why are you so interested in her again?"**

**I sighed. If I didn't want Lester to think I was just jealous, I had to tell him the truth.**

**"Remember we went out shopping yesterday?" Was that really just 24 hours ago? So much had happened, it seemed like ages ago.**

**Lester nodded and I told him the rest of the story.**

**"Holy shit!" he exclaimed. "Did you tell the boss?"**

**I nodded. "But he didn't believe me. That's why I'm trying to find proof."**

**"Well you're not gonna find that shit in a background check," Lester said. "That's phone-tapping surveillance shit."**

**"You can tap her phone?" I asked, hopeful.**

**Lester chuckled. "Yeah, if I wanna lose my job and possibly my life!"**

**"How else am I gonna find proof then?" I asked.**

**"You could ask her," he suggested. "She might not be expecting it and tell you the truth."**

**"Unless Ranger is standing right next to me when she confesses, I still won't have proof," I said.**

**"Wear a wire," Lester said. "I'd tape it on you myself." He waggled his eyebrows again.**

**I shook my head. "If she has Ranger fooled, she's not gonna be surprised by me. I need another plan."**

**Lester's food arrived then and he dug in. **

**"Where is Ranger today, anyway?" I asked. I'd been dying to ask this question since this morning.**

**"Out," Lester said around a mouthful of pizza. "Haven't seen him all day."**

**Lunch was turning out to be a waste of time on the information front, but I had no other ideas either. This was frustrating.**

**Lester paid the bill when he was done and we got up to leave. **

**"Are you gonna help me?"**

**"That's a broad question," he said winking. "What in particular do you need help with."**

**I sighed impatiently. "Finding proof!"**

**"Why don't you just let it go?" he asked. "****_You're_**** not getting married to her."**

**'Because I love him,' was the answer but I just bit my lip instead and followed Lester outside.**

**"Say, do you have any food allergies?" Lester asked when we were back in the car. "I don't want to take you somewhere you can't eat on Friday."**

**With some effort, I was able to switch gears. "None."**

**Clearly, the Conchita topic was closed for Lester, when I had more questions unanswered than ever.**

**TBC**

**

* * *

A/N: So where do you think Ranger is hiding? Is he trying to avoid Steph?  
**


	18. On every dead end street

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Many people have asked for THE date, so here it is, I hope you like! Sorry this capter took me so long, RL has not been kind.

A special Merci to Stayce for her help with this chapter

* * *

Chapter 18

On every dead end street

By Friday morning, I had the same questions. Ranger was back, or so I'd heard, I hadn't seen him. He was not in the office while I was there, and I couldn't help feeling he was avoiding me. I never saw him when I went upstairs to pick up Conchita either, which sort of made me suspicious. Where was he? Did he stay on four in one of the efficiencies? Why wouldn't he stay with Conchita? And if I saw him what was I gonna say? I tried to decide if I would ignore him or confront him about the other night, and I couldn't make up my mind.

When I wasn't escorting Conchita or wondering about Ranger, I researched my skips and had been able to bring two outstanding FTAs in.

Today the reason I was excited wasn't Ranger though: Today was my date with Lester. Our first date.

Ever since I met Lester, I've liked him, as a friend or big brother. It shouldn't be hard to think of him as a date, not after all the innuendos we've exchanged, but it was still different.

The problem was I'd made up my mind I was in love with Ranger, so neither Lester nor George Clooney stood a chance of distracting me right now. Still, I could make an effort to have a good time, maybe the emotional change of scenery would help.

I was certainly nervous enough. What should I wear? Where would he take me?

When Conchita told me after lunch she was done going out for the day, I decided I'd take half the day off too to get ready. If Lester was half the ladies' man everybody said he was, I needed to look my best to make an impression. Because whether I was in love with him or not didn't make a difference to my inner Jersey girl, I was still going to dress to impress. It's a thing.

So five minutes before he was supposed to pick me up, I was still trying to decide on the right shirt to wear. Or maybe the blue blouse?

When the door bell rang, I randomly picked a v-neck top out of the pile and pulled it on. I was wearing a black mini-skirt and my Wonder-bra, and I looked hot, if I say so myself. I'd already spent over an hour on my hair and make-up, I was ready.

Lester was dressed casually in jeans and a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up, and he looked absolutely eatable.

"Hi," he said and smiled when I opened the door. "You look very nice."

I cleared my throat. Why did he all of a sudden make me so nervous? "Hi."

I stepped aside to let him enter. "I'm almost ready." And I dashed back into the bathroom for a last minute check.

When I got back a minute later, Lester had made himself comfortable on the couch.

"I'm ready," I announced.

He got up. "Are you hungry?" he asked.

My stomach was all butterflies but I nodded. "Sure."

He smiled again. "Are you okay? You look a little flustered."

"I'm fine," I said, but my blushing face betrayed me. I sighed. "OK, so I guess I'm a little nervous."

Lester laughed and got up to take my hand. "I'll take care of that, I promise. Just relax. Deep breath."

I had to laugh at his instructions and relaxed a little. His hand was warm and strong. "I'm fine," I said, trying to convince us both.

Lester winked. "I know."

That worked, I was familiar with flirting Lester. I smiled at him. "So where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise," he said mysteriously. "And you'll love it." He looked me up and down. "You look very nice, by the way. A little too much clothing maybe, but…"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head exasperated. "Let's go."

The surprise turned out to be a little Greek place called Dionysus in Hamilton Township. It was a cozy place with only ten tables and white linen tablecloths. Single candles on each table made it very romantic, but I was no longer nervous about going out with Lester. I'd finally realized that there were worse things in life than being on a date with a gorgeous guy.

"So how's the job? Do you like being an escort?" Lester asked when we had ordered our drinks. He was grinning from ear to ear at his own joke.

"I'm getting used to it," I admitted, ignoring his joke. "And I'm glad nothing has happened yet, no one tried to attack us."

"That's because you're always with her," he said. "Remember last time, she'd managed to shake us off for a little while, she was alone in the parking lot."

I nodded. "I still wonder why Ranger doesn't spend more time with her though, wouldn't he be the best one to protect her?"

"He has a company to run," Lester said and shrugged as if that explained everything. "Plus this brought you back to the office so I'm all for it."

Lester had ordered for us and the waitress now loaded our table with various plates that smelled mouthwatering. I gave up asking Lester what everything was and just dug in. He filled our glasses with red wine and thanked me for coming out. I didn't know how to react to that so I just smiled. We ate and drank and talked for hours and I had a really good time.

It was past ten o'clock when we left the restaurant. "Do you feel like dancing?" Lester asked.

I shook my head. "I'm so full, I can't really move at all."

Lester laughed. "That was not exactly the plan." He linked my arm through his on the way back to the car. "Maybe next time then?"

As much as I was enjoying myself, I was sort of tired. And it was true, I was stuffed to the gills, it was all I could do not to open the top snap on my jeans. Dinner had been fantastic and the baclava for dessert had been to die for. Both servings of it.

We were quiet on the drive back to my house. Lester was probably in his zone and I was trying to decide what to do next. Should I ask him upstairs for a nightcap? I'd already had three glasses of wine, so I was sort of at my limit. Plus, there was no telling what could happen once he was upstairs, did I want that? On the other hand, it felt weird just to thank him for the evening and send him on his way, we were adults after all.

When he pulled into my parking lot I'd just decided that my life was too fucking complicated, nothing was easy anymore. But I still couldn't make up my mind. I didn't want the evening to end, but I didn't want to give Lester the wrong idea either.

"You have company," Lester said as he killed the engine.

I looked around panicked, half-expecting some lunatic to be pointing a gun at me. Lester looked past me, cocking his head. I followed his gaze.

Almost completely in the shadow of my building, Ranger's black Cayenne was parked. The lights were off but I could make out a figure on the driver's side.

"Well, that's just…" I wasn't quite sure how to put my sudden anger into words.

What the hell was he thinking? Was he checking up on me? Had he followed us here from the restaurant, was he spying on me?

I didn't have to say anything, before I could finish ranting in my head, Lester had put his hand on the back of my neck and was pulling me towards him for a kiss.

His lips were soft on mine as he pulled me closer, I smelled his soap and aftershave and closed my eyes. Then he broke the kiss to whisper into my ear.

"We might as well give him a show, what do you say?"

I pulled back to look into his eyes. "What are you talking about?"

Lester chuckled and shook his head slightly. "Really, Steph, you think I'm blind? Any idiot can see you got it bad for the boss. And the way you keep asking about Conchita? You might as well shout it from the rooftops." He laughed.

I blushed. "I don't know what…" I tried but Lester had pulled me back into his arms.

"It's okay, I can live with it. I just want to make sure that he knows what he's missing."

"You asked me out to make Ranger jealous?" I asked incredulously, trying to free myself.

"No," Lester said, not letting me go. "I asked you out to spend more time with you, I didn't know he'd follow us here. Now we might as well make him jealous, it'll be fun."

I scoffed. "It'll be a waste of time. Ranger isn't jealous, he's engaged."

Lester nuzzled my ear while he talked. "So you keep saying. Then what is he doing here?"

I didn't have an answer for that. I was still too confused by what Lester had said. Had I really been this obvious? Here I thought I had everybody fooled. I could see how Connie would see through my charade, but Lester? Did Ranger know? Oh God, was this why he'd kissed me in my bedroom?

One thing was for sure, Lester was enjoying this. He was chuckling as he kissed me again.

"I'm glad you're having fun," I said sarcastically.

"Not as much as I will have," he said. "Let's go upstairs."

What exactly was my problem with this scenario? I didn't have to hurt Lester's feelings, I was actually relieved he knew the truth, and it might actually work. He did have a point, what was Ranger doing here if he didn't care? I decided to play along.

"Okay. You know I have a pretty comfy couch…"  
Lester shook his head. "Nuh-uh, princess, not the couch. If I'm spending the night, it'll be in your bed. I don't care if we're both fully dressed or if one of us is over the covers, but my ego can't take the couch." He waggled his eyebrows at me. "A date has to end in bed."

"You really want to do this? Even if you're wrong about his reaction?" I asked.

"Abso-fuckin-lutely," Lester said, opening his door. "I'm having a blast here!"

He came around the car to open my door and helped me out, not letting go of my hand as he led me to the back door of my building.

I know I should have felt cheap or juvenile or stupid but for some reason all I cared about was whether it would work or not. So when Lester turned on the stereo in my apartment and dragged me in front of the window to dance, I didn't resist, I had too much fun.

Even if it didn't work, if it wasn't even Ranger in the car, for example, I was having a great time. Lester was a great dancer, he was hot with a perfect body and the wine I'd had for dinner was still making me feel good. I couldn't remember having a better time on a date.

"Time for the grand finale," Lester said after the dance and dragged me with him into my bedroom.

TBC

* * *

A/N: How do you think Ranger will react? Is he going to sit all quiet like and watch? Or is going to storm into the apartment ready to confront? What would you like to see?


	19. What's left to believe?

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Spaciba to Stayce for her help and inspiration; couldn't have done it without you, Babe!

Thank you all for your patience, I know this update was a long time coming

* * *

Chapter 19

What's left to believe?

Did I mention it had been months since my last social orgasm? The last time I was on a date nothing came of it, and that was probably a good thing since I hadn't heard from Brian since then. And I couldn't really remember the last time I had a man in my bed, that's how long it's been.

There was something too real about the way Lester looked at me as he led me to the bedroom, I knew that look. Okay, so maybe I was imagining things, but Lester looked like a man who was sure he was gonna get some.

After seeing Ranger downstairs, I half-expected him to barge in, breaking down the door, throwing Lester out or at the very least I expected Lester's phone to ring, but none of that happened. What did he want then? Why was he here? Was he going to enforce RangeMan's no-dating rule? It didn't make sense that he had stayed in the car.

We had left the music playing in the living room, so it was now a soft background noise. Lester didn't turn on the light in the bedroom but I could see him clearly in the moonlight that shone through the window. He took me in his arms and nuzzled my neck.

"You know we can make this as real as possible…" he whispered, letting his hands wander over my back.

"Or we can just pretend, like we planned," I said.

Not because of what he did, no, Lester was almost irresistible. I now believed all the stories I'd heard about him, I couldn't see too many red-blooded women turning him down. Ever. And if I hadn't just seen Ranger sitting in front of my house I might not have had the strength to resist him either.

I could feel him smile against my skin. "People in love are no fun."

"What makes you think I'm in love?" It was frustrating how easy I could be read.

"Give it up, Steph."

He was holding me close and I was wondering if there was something wrong with me, why couldn't I feel anything but friendship for Lester?

He was hot; there was no other word for him. A muscular body, soft, slightly curly hair and emerald green eyes. And yet, I was not the slightest bit turned on. Damn Ranger! Here I had the chance for a certain orgasm and I couldn't even enjoy it!

I groaned in frustration.

Lester pulled back so he could look at me. "That's not the reaction I usually get," he teased.

I grimaced and freed myself from his arms. "I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Why should there be anything wrong with you?" he asked and followed me to my bed.

I sighed. "I want to Les, I mean, I want to want to, but I can't…"

"I know." He sat down next to me. "Like I said, people in love are no fun."

"Am I bruising your ego?" I asked, laying my head on his shoulder.

"Yes," he said in false seriousness. "It may never recover. I may never be able to get it up again and only you can cure me."

Lester checked his watch. "I'm surprised he isn't here yet."

"Me too," I agreed. "Maybe he already left?"

He got up and peeked out the window. "I can't make out his car in the dark. Maybe I should call him and ask him where he is? You just need to make some convincing noises in the background."

I rolled my eyes. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"  
"Come on Steph, you have to admit this is funny. If he's still down there, he has to be fucking furious by now. I'm having fun, but I'm gonna avoid him for a week if I can!"

I got serious. "I still wanna know what exactly he was doing here. Did he follow us all night or did he just wait here until we got back?"  
"Probably followed you on the GPS, he might have been here the whole time hoping to catch you alone afterwards."

I hadn't thought about the GPS device in my lip stick I always carried in my purse.

"Is that how you would do it?" I asked.

Lester snorted. "No. If I like a girl, I tell her. Life's pretty simple for me."

I let myself fall back onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling. "My life used to be simple too. Then I met Ranger and everything got complicated."

"It's not all the boss's fault though," Lester said and lay down next to me. "You two are fun to watch."

"What do you mean?"  
"Oh please. You're the one who was on and off with the same guy for years while stringing the boss along. Then you finally make up your mind that you want him and he's unavailable. You guys are a soap opera."

He had a point.

Lester put his arm around me and pulled me closer until my head rested on his chest. "Don't get me wrong, you're entertaining the whole company. If you both got your heads out of your asses at the same time, we'd be bored."

"Did you ever tell Ranger any of this?" I wanted to know.

He snorted. "Yeah, me and the boss have tea every Tuesday and we share our feelings."

"So you have no way of knowing if he…if he has any feelings for me, it could all just be your imagination," I pointed out.

"Then it would be everybody's imagination," he said.

"Everybody thinks Ranger l...likes me?" I couldn't bring myself to say the other 'l' word; I was still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that he could possibly maybe reciprocate my feelings.

"Everybody thinks he l…l…likes you," Lester said, ruffling my hair.

I sighed. If it was true, he would say something wouldn't he? Unless he thought I'd moved on and wasn't worth the trouble? Could this date have been a mistake?

No, I decided. He was engaged. I shouldn't even think about him anymore. I _should_ move on.

Eventually I fell asleep like that, my head on Lester's chest, fully dressed, wondering about Ranger. The next thing I knew, Lester woke me by blowing into my ear. "Morning, Sleeping Beauty."

"You're still here?" I had expected to wake up alone for some reason.

"I have the day off, too," he said. "And I couldn't resist leaving my car in your lot all night." He waggled his eyebrows as he said this so I wouldn't miss the double entendre.

"You're worse than any Jersey girl at plotting, you know that?" I asked him.

He chuckled. "I'll take that as a compliment. Now let's get some breakfast!"

He pulled me off the bed and shoved me into the bathroom to freshen up. I took a quick shower and when I stepped out of the shower Lester had piled some fresh clothes for me on the vanity. I dried off, tied my hair into a ponytail so I didn't have to blow dry it and got dressed.

"Fifteen minutes," Lester said when I was back in the bathroom. "I'm impressed."

"The prospect of food always gets me moving," I said and grabbed my sneakers.

Ranger's car was no longer in the lot when we got downstairs. I didn't know whether to be disappointed or happy. I shouldn't care at all since Ranger was engaged, I knew that, but I couldn't help it.

"He's probably tracking us on GPS," Lester said as if he was reading my mind. "Just in case though…" and he slung his arm around me.

IHOP was crowded since it was Saturday, but we didn't have to wait long for a table. The hostess bumped into a table after Lester smiled his thanks at her.

"See, I still got it. Some chicks still dig me," he laughed.

I just rolled my eyes and picked up the menu. No matter how this one would end, Lester would never let me live it down, I just knew it.

Away from RangeMan and their bark and twigs diet, Lester's appetite was just as healthy as mine. We had bacon and eggs and home fries and waffles until I had to lean back in the booth and open the top snap of my jeans. Just at that moment Lester's phone rang.

He picked it up, listened for a moment and said "I'll be there in ten." Before he hung up.

"Sorry Steph, I have to go, break in at one of the accounts." He got up.

"No worries. I can call my dad to pick me up."

He grinned as he fished a twenty out of his pocket. "Here's twenty to cover breakfast. And another twenty says you won't have to make a phone call to get a ride home."

"What do you mean?" I asked confused.

He smiled as he shook his head. "Just take the bet."

"I can't if I don't know…" I protested but Lester wasn't listening anymore, he was already on his way out. I looked from him to the money on the table and almost jumped when Ranger slid into the seat Lester had just vacated.

"Enjoy your meal?" he asked.

I needed a minute to figure out how to answer him. His expression gave nothing away, I didn't know if he was mad or indifferent or curious or whatever. Would he admit to spying on me? Was I mad at him for following me around? Was I glad to see him or annoyed? I know what you're thinking, but I really was too confused to know how I felt right that second, I really hadn't expected him.

Now I knew what Lester had meant of course. That rat.

Finally I settled for a neutral "Hi Ranger."

He studied me for a moment and I was unable to move, his stare was hypnotizing.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he asked.

I blinked. What? Huh? Come again? I couldn't have heard that right, I decided. "Excuse me?"

The waitress came at that moment to refill my cup and ask Ranger if he wanted any coffee. He declined and she left.

"What did you say?" I asked when Ranger didn't say anything.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he said.

So I had heard him right. That didn't mean that I understood it.

"What is it that I'm doing?" I asked slowly, sounding somewhat like an idiot.

Ranger jerked his chin over his shoulder, in the direction of the exit. "Santos," he said.

I almost said 'I'm not doing him' but that would have sounded too juvenile. And by now I could identify my mood: I was getting pissed.

"It's not really any of your business what I do," I said, taking my purse to leave. "You're the one getting married."

Ranger caught my wrist and held it so that I couldn't get up. "We need to talk," he said. "I'll take you home."

Oh boy, I thought, this should be good.

TBC

* * *

A/N: Sorry, no caveman Ranger, I know many of you asked for one. I just couldn't make it work, it seemed too out-of-caracter. What do you think of Ranger's reaction? Do you think he's really going to talk openly? Tell the truth??


	20. I'm gonna live my life

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Muchas gracias to Stayce for her tiredless efforts to make a decent chapter out of my scribblings!

* * *

Chapter 20

I'm gonna live my life

The ride home was quiet. A million questions were going through my head and I guessed Ranger was in his driving zone. I'd tried to read the expression on his face but he wore his patented blank face on the way out of the restaurant.

'Why are you doing this to me?' he'd asked me. Excuse me? If anyone was doing something, it was him getting engaged, and he accused me of…of what, exactly? Hurting him? Embarrassing him, _cheating_ on him, what? Was that what he wanted to talk about? What was so important that it couldn't be said at the restaurant?

Why now, after the date with Lester? To say I was confused was an understatement.

Last night's talk with Lester still rang in my ears, he had insisted Ranger had feelings for me. But what exactly were those feelings? Friendship? Love?

Okay, so I didn't really need Lester to tell me that, I knew Ranger liked me. As a friend. Although my other friends were the kind that told me about it if they got engaged, I didn't doubt that Ranger saw me as a friend.

Was that what I wanted? If I couldn't have him as a…lover, for lack of a better word, did I want him as a friend, was that enough, or didn't I want him in my life at all?

So that was why I didn't try to start a conversation in the car like I usually do, trying to coax Ranger out of his zone.

Even the ride up the elevator was silent and by now, the tension was killing me. I was dancing from foot to foot like I was doing the peepee dance, I was so nervous.

But he'd asked for this meeting, I wasn't going to break the silence first. I was in love and confused, I didn't say I was mature.

I couldn't keep still, as soon as we were in my apartment, I marched into the kitchen and grabbed a water out of the fridge. I held a bottle out to Ranger but he just shook his head. That is, he moved his head from side to side almost imperceptibly; you had to know what you were looking for.

He disappeared into the living room while I drained half the bottle of water, stalling for time. After a few minutes, I straightened my shoulders and followed him.

"I owe you an explanation," he said formally when I'd taken a seat on the couch.

I was too perplexed to reply. If I hadn't known better I would have said Ranger was nervous. But Ranger didn't _do_ nervous, it was just not in his repertoire! Who was this stranger?

Ranger closed his eyes and exhaled, then he sat down on the coffee table facing me.

"Steph, I'm not engaged."

WHAT?? I blinked. I knew what I thought I heard but that couldn't be right. Could it?

"You're not engaged," I repeated, just to have him confirm I'd heard right.

The only reason I remained sitting on the couch was my head was so full of questions and voices screaming at me anything from outrage to denial, there was no bandwidth to operate my legs.

"No," he said.

I nodded as if that made sense and waited for more. Did he honestly think he was done?

I was trying to sort the shitload of questions on my mind by priority, it seemed impossible.

"Then who is Conchita?" I finally asked.

Ranger was completely calm and composed, I tried to look like I was too when it actually took every ounce of strength to stay on the couch and not scream. Now I wanted to bang my head against a wall in denial.

"She is a job," he said.

Ah, now it all made sense. Not! Ranger was confusing me more rather than explaining.

I took a deep breath, closing my eyes. It hurt. I'd thought nothing could hurt worse than hearing about Ranger's engagement, worse than meeting him and Conchita at the obstetrician. I was wrong.

"You lied to me," I said, my voice hoarse from choking on the words.

It was all I could think of to say, I was almost speechless. My blood was rushing in my ears and I was feeling kind of dizzy. Part of me was hanging on to the hope that this was a bad dream I would wake up from. Already I could feel tears stinging my eyes, but I wasn't sure if they were tears of anger or pain.

Ranger lowered his eyes and took my hand. "I know. And I'm sorry."

I couldn't help it, I snorted. "You're sorry." It came out a lot colder than I'd intended.

"Babe," he said, reaching out to touch my face.

I shrank back, pulling my hand out of his. Suddenly I couldn't stand to let him touch me. Some emotion flashed in his eyes but I couldn't read it fast enough, it was replaced by the blank expression a split second later.

Slowly, his words sank in. There was no fiancée, there would be no wedding. The baby wasn't his. Ranger had lied to me for weeks, played the part, deceived me.

If I'd have had to guess how I'd react in this situation, I would have gone with Italian temper tantrum. But now that I was living it, I had to focus all my energy on continuing to breathe. It felt like I'd been sucker-punched in the stomach, it hurt physically and every breath was a chore. 'This is not happening, this is not happening,' a new voice in my head spoke up. I almost rocked back and forth with that chant.

"I think you need to leave now," I said without meeting his eyes.

"Steph, listen," Ranger began but I held up my hand in the universal 'stop' gesture.

"I think you said enough," I said. "Thank you for telling me. Good bye."

I didn't actually know this person in charge of my mouth at the moment, she'd taken over when I was at a complete loss for words.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "It was for your own good. No one but Tank knew. Babe, these people I'm protecting Chita from make the mafia look like Boy Scouts."

I scoffed. The phrase 'too little, too late' kept playing in my head. Did he honestly think I would just forget what he'd put me through these past weeks because he'd lied _for my own good_??

I looked up to meet his gaze. Yes, yes he did. He really did. He thought all he had to do was apologize and it would be as if nothing ever happened. The pain in my chest got worse, I had trouble getting enough oxygen to talk.

Suddenly all I wanted was to be alone. I felt a major crying jag coming on and I needed to let it out. Alone.

"Please leave," I whispered.

Ranger looked like he was going to say something else, so I shook my head. He got up slowly.

"Steph, trust me, it was better this way."

This brought back some of my old, more familiar self. His words were like the proverbial stick poking the bee hive. I didn't explode like I would have expected but there was this urge to tell him exactly how I felt, to hurt him like he'd hurt me. I wanted to kick him in the shin so badly I had to make an effort to keep my leg still.

"Trust you? Ranger, the one thing I'll never be able to do again is trust you."

I was amazed how steady my voice sounded even though I didn't feel any of the confidence. "I used to trust you, hell, even with my life, as corny as that sounds. Now I wouldn't trust you to tell me the correct time."

It was a line, I half expected Ranger to snort and call me on it, but I meant every word.

Ranger stood motionless, right in front of me. Since I was still sitting, he was looking down at me and I felt uncomfortable. But if I got up now, I'd be nose-to-nose with him and I wanted to avoid touching him.

I willed my hands to stop shaking as I stared at them in my lap. I was so focused that I flinched when Ranger's finger touched my cheek.

"Look at me," he said softly.

He lifted my chin up but I refused to meet his eyes, I just couldn't.

"Look at me," he repeated, increasing the pressure under my chin.

I gave up. I sighed and looked up at him. I was closer to tears than ever.

"I'm sorry I lied to you," he said, sitting down next to me on the couch. "You know I never lied to you before. And I wouldn't have lied now, except the truth was too dangerous for you. I lied to keep you safe. If anybody had found out you knew the truth they would have used you to get to me, like they used Chita to get to her father. You could have gotten hurt. Or worse. I made you her bodyguard to be able to keep an eye on both of you at the same time. I tried to protect you."

I closed my eyes. Although I couldn't read the emotion in Ranger's eyes, I knew it was strong. Even if he was telling the truth, that didn't make any of it okay. In fact, it could only mean one thing. I stifled a sob when realization hit me.

"You didn't trust me," I said.

"Trust has nothing to do with it," Ranger said, leaning closer.

"It's got everything to do with it," I argued and got up, crossing to the window to put some distance between us.

When Ranger was too close, I was tempted to deny the important stuff and focus on the fact that he was single. I don't know if it was the way he smelled or the way his body heat radiated off of him, it was like an aura surrounded him. Like a force field you didn't want to be sucked into, or you were done for. But this was too important. As much as it had hurt me when I thought he was getting married, this was ten times worse. I couldn't stand to be around him anymore. And why had he suddenly decided to fess up? Because of my date with Lester?

I took a deep breath and cleared my throat. "You can go now."

"We're not done," Ranger said, not moving from his seat.

"There's nothing more to say," I said, my voice close to breaking now.

I didn't know how much longer I could keep the tears at bay. I wanted to scream, I wanted to run away and never stop.

I was hurt, I was angry, I was devastated; I was every negative emotion I could think of.

Suddenly Ranger jumped up, closing the distance between us in three strides. He backed me up against the wall, there was less than an inch between us.

"I think you have a lot more to say, Stephanie. I don't believe you want me to leave."

I shook my head, unable to speak. One hand was balled into a fist against him, trying to push him back. I closed my eyes to slowly count to ten, I needed to be able to speak, dammit!

I had just reached four when I felt Ranger's hands around my waist, his body pressing me against the wall. His lips were so close to my ear that it tickled when he spoke. "Don't do this, Babe."

Don't…excuse me???? All numbness left me then, I was outraged. I planted both my hands flat against his chest and shoved as hard as I could.

Ranger let me move him back a step.

"Get out. Now," I said, my voice stronger at last. "I'm not the one doing anything, you did this all yourself, Ranger."

"Stephanie…" he began but I cut him off.

"I've heard enough Ranger. You didn't trust me with the truth, you made that decision all on your own. Now it's my turn. Get the fuck out of my house!"  
I had my hands balled into fist on either side of me, my nails digging into my palms. I wanted Ranger to make another move so I could kick him.

Ranger's eyes bored into mine but I held his gaze. I was hurt, but I was a lot more furious, I felt like I could beat the shit out of him at that moment. It would be an uneven fight, but I didn't give a rat's ass about that at the moment.

And I never wanted to see Ranger again. Ever. He'd gone too far.

"I'm sorry," he said again, finally lowering his eyes.

I pointed stiff-armed at the door without saying a word.

And then he left.

TBC

* * *

A/N: I know you wanted Ranger sex, sorry I didn't deliver :) What do you think, should Steph forgive and forget to be with Ranger or should she look elsewhere? Should Ranger grovel? What's the best way to get Steph to talk to him again?


	21. Rolling with the Dice

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

I appreciate all your reviews, thank you so much for all your ideas and suggestions, I sure can use them! If I didn't get to thank you in person, I'm sorry, but I loved to hear from you.

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

An Extra Special Merci to Stayce for helping me each and every day, knowing what I need (even if it's a kick in the ass) and editing over and over!

* * *

Chapter 21

Rolling with the Dice

Ranger left without a sound, I didn't hear the front door close behind him. Only when I heard the Porsche rumble to life in the parking lot did I believe he was really gone. Finally alone, I sank down the wall and allowed myself that cry fest. I cried because it hurt so much that Ranger didn't trust me. Then I cried because I was so angry with him because he wouldn't trust me. And when I say cry, I mean I sobbed uncontrollably, like I hadn't cried since…since I'd found out he was engaged.

And finally, I don't know if it took thirty minutes or several hours, I was all cried out. My mouth was dry and my throat was sore and my eyes burned, but the sobbing had stopped and no more tears came. I took a deep breath.

"There, I feel much better," I croaked.

My voice sounded like I was a 2-pack-a-day smoker.

My cell phone rang just as I collected myself off of the floor, but I ignored it. What if it was Ranger? What could I possible say to him? What if it was my mom, she'd never believe my voice was hoarse because I was getting a cold so there would be more questions. No, this one was better left to voice mail.

I grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and told Rex what had just happened. Okay, technically I was talking to myself because Rex was asleep in his soup can, but that's what crazy people do, so I pretended to talk to Rex.

I could have called Lula or Connie, but I wanted to make sure I could keep my voice steady and wouldn't break out into tears again.

It was no good. The Burg girl in me just had to share. I needed someone else to say 'That _bastard_!' out loud.

I picked up the receiver and was ready to dial when I realized there was no one I _could_ talk to. The whole reason Ranger had lied to me was because it was a secret he wasn't really engaged and about to become a father! If I told Connie or Lula it _would_ get out, the more people knew, the more likely it was to slip out.

I bit my lip when I realized how close I'd come to proving Ranger right, and that's the last thing I wanted to do. I could keep a secret, dammit!

But why was it a secret? Now that I was a bit calmer, I realized it didn't make sense. The more I thought about it, the more confused I got. With Conchita at RangeMan, she was as protected as you can get, I'd bet the Secret Service would approve the building to keep the president safe. So she was safe.

Why go the extra step to pretend she was about to get married to Ranger? That part didn't make sense.

What advantages did she have as Ranger's fiancée? It wasn't like Ranger enjoyed the highest standing in society or some other old fashioned crap. As far as I knew, Ranger didn't give a rat's ass about society's opinion about him.

So why would Ranger pretend to be engaged to her? And why would he pretend to be the baby's father?  
Somehow the baby had to be the crucial factor, I just couldn't figure out how.

I was exhausted from crying and all that thinking made my head hurt. I needed a fucking drink.

The clock on the kitchen wall told me it was barely noon, but I didn't care. I wasn't planning on leaving the house today anyway, who cared if I got shitfaced? I had to do _something_!

After a couple of beers I realized alcohol was not what I wanted. I was still full from breakfast, so I didn't want any food either.

I plopped down on my bed in my thinking position, spread-eagled on my back.

What I really wanted was to talk about it. Unfortunately, the only person I could talk to about it was Ranger, and I really didn't think I could talk to him without hitting him. No, I definitely needed some time away from Ranger. I was still too mad at him to stay calm and have an adult conversation.

Suddenly it hit me: There was _one_ other person I could talk to! One other person knew! Tank!!

I sat up straight and grabbed my cell phone off my nightstand. Before I dialed I realized I needed a plan first. Tank was Ranger's second in command and his friend. Probably he'd feel more loyal to Ranger than to me, so why would he even talk to me about it?

Good thing there are no security cameras at my place, it must have been a sight to see me sitting on the bed, chewing my lip, with the phone in hand.

Tank and Lula had been an item for a while, but I never had the chance to get to know the big guy. Would Ranger tell him about what happened, could he guess I would want to talk to Tank?

I pondered this for an hour and only succeeded in making my head hurt again.

"Fuck it," I finally mumbled and dialed RangeMan.

Tank wasn't in, but Cal transferred me to his cell phone. I could practically feel Cal's confusion at my request.

"Yo," Tank answered on the second ring.

Now what?

"Hi Tank, it's Steph," I said.

I knew he could tell by the caller ID, but I needed an opener.

"What's up?" he asked.

'Oh nothing, just wondering if you'd like to have a cup of coffee after work.' Unnh, that would have sounded like I was asking him out on a date. 'Can you come over right away?' That would have sounded like there was an emergency. Dammit!

"Steph?"

"Uhm…yeah…so…ah…I was wondering if I could talk to you after work today?"

"'bout what?" he asked.

Oh fuck it, I decided, pride, shmide. "Ranger told me the truth about his engagement and I need to talk to someone," I said honestly.

"I'm on until 2 AM," he said. "How about tomorrow morning?"  
I love Tank! "Tomorrow is great," I told him. "Do you want to meet or…"  
"I'll see you at 8," he said and disconnected.

I stared at my phone for a beat. Probably I'd called in the middle of something he had to get back to and he just assumed he'd come to my place.

I took a deep breath and felt a little better. I'd worry on what to say to him later and wondered if eight in the morning was too early to start drinking heavily. I can always talk to Tank when I'm a little tipsy.

Heaving my butt out of bed, I took a long shower, pampering myself the way Cosmo said to do when you're feeling down. Then I grabbed a pint of Ben& Jerry's out of the freezer and plopped down in front of the TV with the Hallmark channel on.

The next morning, the door bell woke me. I'd transitioned over to my bed in the middle of the night but I hadn't had much sleep. Too many thoughts had chased each other in my head.

I glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand, it was 6:24. What the fuck?

I was too curious to just turn over and go back to sleep, even though the bell was no longer ringing. Whoever it was, was patient.

My hair was always a mess in the morning, so I pulled it back into a pony tail, but I didn't bother to throw a robe over the sweats I'd slept in.

"Who is it?" I croaked.

I sounded like I felt, I realized. Yesterday's crying jag had left my throat raw.

No one answered. I peeked through the peep hole into the empty hallway.

I know, I know, curiosity killed the cat and all, but I just had to find out, so I opened the door. It wasn't a trick; there was no one in sight. I was about to close the door when I noticed the bag on the doormat: A big brown bag with the Dunkin' Donuts logo stamped on its side.

I grabbed it and went back inside. A post-it note was stuck to the bag. 'Hope you feel better' it said.

I scoffed. Did Ranger really think coffee and a bunch of donuts were going to make it all better? Okay, so I had to admit, there was very little a Boston crème couldn't fix, but this was one of those exceptions, right?

I opened the bag and sure enough, there was a large Styrofoam cup of coffee and a smaller bag with two donuts inside.

Ranger wouldn't know what I'd done with them, I decided, and it would be a waste to throw out Boston Crèmes, so I ate them. The coffee was still hot, and good. I didn't mind getting up in the middle of the night if breakfast was served.

My cell phone rang just as I was brushing the last of the crumbs off my chest.

"Morning Sleeping Beauty," Lester said when I picked up. "Did I wake you?"

It was good to hear his voice. It had only been a day since I'd seen him, but everything had changed since then. I only wished I could tell him about it.

What was it about this case that Ranger had to keep from his own men?

"No, I was up," I told him. "Someone knocked me awake at the crack of dawn."

He chuckled. "Sorry about that. I thought you'd want your coffee hot."

"It was you?" I tried not to sound disappointed.

In my head, Ranger had been losing sleep over how he could make it up to me, deciding to start with breakfast as a peace offering. My anger had evaporated; I was left being hurt at his lack of trust. I wanted him to want to make it up to me, starting with little things like breakfast.

"Thought you'd like to start your Sunday right," Lester said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Thank you," I said automatically.

"Welcome, Sunshine. I'll catch you later." And he disconnected.

I'd kind of known it wasn't like Ranger to leave gifts at my doorstep, but it was still disappointing to find out it hadn't been him. I know that doesn't make much sense, but I wasn't in a very rational state of mind that morning.

The doorbell rang again just as I finished dressing after taking a shower. My hair was still wet, so I just tied it up in a ponytail again, I didn't feel like gussying up at all. I wore jeans and a t-shirt and no makeup.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

"You didn't check the peep hole," Tank accused me by way of greeting.

"I don't have any current stalkers or people after my life," I said and stepped aside to let him enter.

"Actually you might," Tank said cryptically as I followed him into the living room.

He sat down heavily on the couch.

"Can I get you anything?" I asked to make conversation; I had no idea how to bring up what I really wanted to know.

Tank shook his head. "I know why I'm here," he said.

I bit my lip before I could reply something like 'Because I called you and asked you to come'. I was nervous and tempted to just wisecrack. It took all my strength to remain quiet as I sat down on the chair next to the couch, but I thought it best to let Tank start.

"What do you want to know?" he asked after a minute.

I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind. Tank would probably tell me everything he could, but he was a guy and you had to ask for it specifically, so my questions had to be precise.

"How come you're the only one who knew the truth?"

Tank didn't hesitate. "Ranger was undercover. I had to know because I had to be ready to take over RangeMan in case anything happened to him. Nobody else needed to know."

"You think it's okay to lie to your friends if they don't _need_ to know?" I asked him.

Tank almost-shrugged. "It's part of the job. Sometimes what we do is classified."

"I understand," I told him. "But we're _friends_, Tank! And I…we're…I mean he…"

Tank lifted an eyebrow at me, probably as curious as I was how the sentence would end. "He lied to me," I finished weakly.

"I think you should talk to him about it then," he said.

I sighed. "That's not such a good idea right now. It's complicated. I was hoping you could tell me what's really going on. I'm assuming Ranger has given you the OK to talk to me?"

Tank scoffed but hid it behind a fake cough. "He never said I couldn't answer your direct questions."

Direct questions. Okay, I told myself, I could do those. Tank already told me his version of why Ranger had lied to me; probably it was his military background that made things black and white for him. Even if Ranger hadn't told him the truth, I was sure he wouldn't have a problem with it.

"What did you mean by I might have stalkers?" I asked him. "Am I in danger just because I know the truth now?"

"No," he said without hesitation. "You were in danger as soon as Ranger got involved, as a friend of his. His entire family was put on watch, along with his close friends."

"To protect them from the Ortizes?" Who was this all-powerful family I'd never heard of? "Or from the real father of Conchita's baby?"  
Tank's eyes widened. "What do you know about him?"  
I sighed. "Nothing. Just as much as I know about the rest, remember?"  
"The Ortizes are after Conchita because she's pregnant. Julio Ortiz is the father."

He said it so matter-of-factly that it almost felt like it should make sense to me. "Is that supposed to tell me anything?"

Tank ran his hand over his shaved head. "Christ, he really didn't tell you anything, did he?"  
It was my turn to raise my eyebrows and give him my best 'DUH!' stare.

"Okay, he said. Make us some coffee and I start at the beginning."

TBC

* * *

A/N: Sorry if there was a lot of inner dialogue in this chapter, I felt it needed to get out and I wanted to show how Steph dealt with things. What do you think the 'whole' story is? Any guesses? Is it time for Steph to forgive Ranger?


	22. Nothing's what it seems

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

Thank you so very much for all your reviews and PMs, I appreciate all your ideas and suggestions! If I didn't thank you personally, I apologize, I still appreciate your opinion.

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

I never knew what writer's block felt like. Now I do. I apologize for this chapter being so long overdue, but the muse just wasn't with me. I couldn't write a sentence to save my life, and I don't know if what I came up with eventually works…

A special thanks to Stayce for her support and to Bonnie for the nudge

* * *

Chapter 22

Nothing's what it seems

Considering I'd never heard Tank say more than two sentences in a row, my expectations for this conversation weren't too high. Maybe I should have been as mad at Tank as I was at Ranger, considering I'd spent time with him, talked to him, and he never even hinted at knowing more than I did. But right now I was more curious than angry, although it was a close second.

I returned to the living room with two mugs of coffee, Tank had sat down on the couch. I placed one mug in front of him on the coffee table. "Do you take milk and sugar?" I asked politely.

"No, I'm all black," he said, grinning.

I sat down on the chair opposite him and tucked my legs in under me.

"So who is Julio Ortiz?" I asked as casually as I could, given that I wanted to know the whole story so badly I could scream.

Tank took a deep breath and ran his hand over his chin. "Victor Ortiz is the…I guess you could say the patriarch of the Ortiz family. He runs everything and nobody does anything without his consent."  
I nodded.

Tank continued, "Julio is Victor's son."

"Okay, I'm with you so far," I said, taking a sip of my coffee.

"Conchita is Raoul Sanchez's daughter. Sanchez and Ortiz are arch enemies, shoot on sight enemies. When Raoul found out his daughter was seeing Julio, he put a hit out on him."

"And Julio's father returned the favor and so Ranger had to protect Conchita," I said.

Tank shook his head. "They don't care about Conchita. They want the baby."

I shuddered at his tone, so matter-of-factly. "Why is the baby so important?" I asked.

"Because Julio is dead," Tank said. "Killed by one of Sanchez's men."

"No," I shook my head in denial. "I overheard Conchita talk to him, so I know he's alive. And Ranger would never get involved in something…something…ille…immoral."

If there was murder involved, Ranger would have called the police. He once told me he would do legally gray, morally right. But this wasn't gray, this was illegal. It just wasn't Ranger.

Tank pursed his lips. "Maybe that's why he didn't tell you about it," he said.

"I heard her talk to him," I insisted.

I knew I hadn't imagined the conversation in the dressing room, there was no doubt who she'd talked to!

"From what I know, they were pretty close," Tank said, sipping from his coffee. "As in, they were gonna get married no matter what. Ranger said she's in denial about his death."

I snorted. "I know denial, Tank. She was _talking_ to him!"

Tank just looked at me for a beat, then he shrugged. "Maybe she has a connection to the _other_ side. Ortiz was killed the day before she moved in with Ranger."

I didn't know what to say to that. What exactly had I heard? I remembered her saying, '**You know I want ****to,**** baby, but I gotta stay here.'**

**My head hurt. Julio and Conchita sounded like a modern day Romeo and Juliet, for Christ's sake! And what did that make Ranger? Was there a protector in the play, a friend that made it possible for them to be together? I tried to remember the Leonardo deCaprio movie, but it was fuzzy. Then I caught myself digressing and, with some effort, focused on Tank again.**

**"They want the baby and raise it as an Ortiz," Tank said. He did a palms-up, "I know how it sounds, man, like some family feud from back in the day, but that's what's happening and that's what Ranger is trying to prevent."**

I frowned. "That doesn't explain why he got engaged to her. He could have just hidden her, protect her that way."

"Because he's supposed to marry her and make the baby his, legally," Tank said.

"If she stayed single, they could sue her for the baby. This way, the baby has an official father."  
"Ranger," I said numbly.  
Tank nodded. "So now you know. I don't know if I was supposed to tell you the whole deal, but this has been going on for too long already."

"You said 'is'," I said.

My mind was reeling from what he'd just told me and I could barely speak.

"What?"

"You said Ranger _is_ supposed to marry her."

Tank nodded. "Yes, if a baby is born to a married mother, her husband is assumed to be the father. Legally speaking," Tank said.

"So Ranger is still going to get married?"

"That's the plan," he replied.

I swallowed. Pretend or not, the thought of Ranger marrying another woman hurt. I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach.

To stall, I took a sip from my coffee and promptly burned my tongue. I closed my eyes and silently counted to ten. Jumping up and screaming wouldn't help right now. It might have made me feel better, but it wouldn't have helped with the conversation that I tried to keep calm and sane.

'There _has_ to be a different way!' I thought.

I took a couple of deep breaths.

"Julio and Conchita are lovers from rivaling families," I summed up. "Julio is killed by Conchita's family and Julio's family wants the baby for revenge, then kill Conchita."

Never mind that Conchita was talking to the presumed-dead Julio, so she might have her own thing going on. Never mind that the only solution Ranger had come up with so far was to marry Conchita who was talking to the presumed dead. Just the facts, I told myself.

"That's it," Tank confirmed.

I thought that over for a minute, tried it on for size. "It doesn't explain why Ranger lied to me," I finally said. "Why he told you but not me."

"You needed to be a credible witness, just in case," Tank said.

"In case of what?" I wanted to know.  
"In case it comes to a trial. They might ask you what your relationship to Ranger is and how you found out about Conchita and shit. Ranger thought it would be best if you didn't know, so you'll be credible."

"But you don't agree," I pointed out.

"I followed his orders," Tank said.

He leaned forward and touched my forearm. "I wanted to tell you right away, just for the record. But orders are orders and I do believe it was for the best."

"So that I'm credible on the witness stand," I said.

That was Ranger's reason? Just in case? He lied to me, for weeks, just in case? Would he have told me now if it wasn't for the date with Lester? I fought the urge to scream.

"It's not that simple," Tank said.

"So explain it," I retorted.

"I thought I just did." He shrugged. "You know the truth now, don't you?"

I sighed. Yes, I knew now. Was that supposed to make me feel better? I was still trying to somehow see Ranger's reasons for lying to me, now I was supposed to get used to the idea of Ranger really marrying?

I forced myself to remain calm, but it was getting harder and harder. Instead of sitting on the chair, I wanted to pace, throw random things at the wall, scream the questions I had for Tank. But all of that would make Tank give me the kind of look you give hopeless cases and hysterical women, and then he'd leave. Tank didn't do Italian.

Talking to Tank was a lot like talking to Ranger, you had to try to keep emotions out of it if you wanted them to take you seriously. Since I was all emotion, that was a lot easier said than done. It took me a few minutes, but eventually I had myself under control again.

"How would you feel if Ranger had lied to _you_?" I asked him, proud that my voice sounded almost normal. "What if you'd just found out Ranger wasn't _really_ engaged?"

Tank shrugged. "I'd assume he had a good reason for telling me a different version. And he is really engaged."

"I mean…" I sighed. "Okay, how about you tell me why you lied to me? You knew what I was going through, you were right here. And yet you didn't tell me the truth."

"I had my orders," Tank said immediately.

"You are not a soldier who obeys blindly," I pointed out.

Tank scoffed. "Maybe not technically. I wouldn't be court marshaled if I didn't follow orders, that's true, but it's…in me, I guess. Boss said not to tell a soul and I didn't." He ran a hand over his bald head. "Like I said, I wanted to, but Ranger trusts me."

I had a vision in my head of one of those old war movies where they're interrogating a spy and all the man is giving up is his name, rank and serial number. That was Tank all right. I sighed for the umpteenth time. What I really wanted to do was thunk my head on the coffee table in frustration.

"Okay," I said slowly. "Let's assume I understand why you both lied. Then why tell me the truth now?"

"Didn't you want to know?" Tank asked.

"Of course I wanted to know," I almost shrieked. "But why didn't you tell me last week or yesterday? Why now? Don't I need to be a 'credible witness' anymore?" I made air quotes to let him know just how much I thought of his reasoning.

Tank looked at me blankly. "Ranger said I could answer your questions now, that you'd be more likely to listen to me than him." He shrugged. "Not sure what gave him _that_ idea though."

I frowned. "I _am_ listening," I pointed out.

"Yeah, but you're not hearing me," Tank said.

I snorted. "You're not making sense. Yesterday it was a big secret, today you can tell me all about it. That supposed to make sense?"

Okay, so I wasn't sure why I was so hung up on the timing. What did it matter, really? I guess I didn't want Tank to see me freak out over Ranger's engagement anymore and the timing was something I felt safe to latch onto or something. Hey, I'm not claiming I was thinking logically here, cut me some slack.

I wanted my girlfriends, I wanted to cry and curse all men, but all I had was Mr. Rationality.

I wasn't just frustrated, I was beginning to get angry. Maybe because what Tank said didn't make sense, maybe because what Ranger was doing made sense, I don't know. All I knew was, my feelings were switching from sad and confused to really pissed.

Maybe it was time to try another tactic? Tank had said he'd answer direct questions.

"Do you think Ranger is jealous?" I asked him.

"Huh?" Tank looked at me genuinely puzzled.

"I went out with Lester last night," I said. "And Ranger was following us. All the way to breakfast this morning. And suddenly Ranger tells me his deepest, darkest secret. Hell of a coincidence, don't you think?"

"You lost me," Tank admitted.

Men! Any woman would have understood me completely!

"For months Ranger lies to me," I said.

When Tank nodded, I continued, "I go on the second date in those months and it happens to be with a guy Ranger knows."

Tank leaned back, crossed his arms over his shoulder and nodded again.

"And that's the moment Ranger picks to tell me everything? You don't think that's weird timing? Isn't it something you would do if you thought the woman you wanted to be with was seeing someone else because she thought you were engaged?"  
"Whoa," Tank exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "I think you're reading a little too much into this, honey."

"Am I?" I questioned him. "I'm sure you have a perfectly good reason why Ranger followed us to the restaurant and allowed you to tell me all about the lie he's been telling me for months. Let's hear it then."

Tank shook his head. "Not my department," he said. "That's something you need to discuss with the boss."

He moved to get up and I jumped up to block his way. "You can't just…"

As I was standing inches from him I realized what a stupid move that had been, seeing that I had to crane my neck to see Tank's face now. He grinned down at me.

"Leave?" he finished for me.

We both knew that if he wanted to leave there was nothing I could do about that. I took a step back.

"I told you everything you needed to know, Steph. Everything else has to come from Ranger. I can't guess about his motivations."

Okay, he had a point. Man code and all that, if I had to guess. And maybe Tank had never even asked himself why Ranger was doing any of this, maybe he just took orders without question.

Tank put his hands on my shoulders. "For what it's worth, I'm glad you know now. But remember, it's still top secret. The Ortegas have no idea the relationship isn't real and Ranger wants to keep it that way. None of this can be repeated."

"I get that," I assured him. "Thanks for answering my questions."

Tank smiled. "Those I knew the answers to."

He thanked me for the coffee and left, and I flopped down on my couch. I had some of the why now, at least, right?

'Everything else has to come from Ranger.' Yeah, right. I was sure that, if I ever got the courage to ask Ranger directly, he would give me all the answers. Like right after hell froze over, probably.

Then it hit me. I didn't even have to talk to Ranger, I knew why he'd lied to me, it was so simple: He didn't trust me.

He didn't trust me to keep a secret.

What was there to talk about, when the truth was so obvious?

My frustration and anger were forgotten, I just felt hurt. And the reason it hurt so bad that he didn't trust me was just as obvious: I still loved him.

So that really left only one question: What was I gonna do about it?

TBC

* * *

A/N: So now you know. Did Steph really get all there is out of Tank? Do you think she should try and find a way to stop the wedding?


	23. What gets me through the night

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Thank you to Stephenie for lending me some of her words ;)

I'm extremely sorry this took so long. Between writer's block and pneumonia, I was out of commission for a while there and staring at the blank screen a lot. I hope those times are over now.

Thanks so much for all your reviews and messages, I really appreciate them!

A special Danke Sehr to Stayce for her help and understanding!

* * *

Chapter 23

What gets me through the night

I don't know how long I just sat there after Tank had left, could have been minutes, could have been hours. At first, my mind was racing. As time when on though, I got calmer and I finally figured it out.

There were three things I was absolutely sure about: One, I loved Ranger. I loved him more than I had ever loved a man, I was in love with him and I wanted to be with him. In a way I had already forgiven him. Yes, he had hurt me, but I'd get over that, although I wasn't ready to tell him so anytime soon. He had to apologize. He had to be sincere about it and he had to tell me the truth about everything. I knew that I would completely forgive him then.

Two, there was a part of Ranger, and I didn't know how big that part was, that didn't completely trust me. That's why he had kept the truth from me. Okay, so he had lied to me but…oh hell, there's lying and then there's lying and he'd done the one that's forgivable. So there. Maybe I didn't trust him completely either. Who knew if I would tell him something Lula or Mary Lou would ask me to keep a secret.

And three, there wasn't going to be a wedding involving Ranger. I didn't know what I had to do, but I would stop that wedding. I was sure Ranger didn't want that wedding anymore than I did. It's not that I wanted to marry Ranger myself, the thought of getting married scared the shit out of me, but I sure as hell didn't want him marrying anyone else either. He was mine, dammit.

Only he didn't know it yet. It was more that _he_ had to stop the wedding, since he had to see how wrong it was, but I didn't trust his damned sense of loyalty, he might go ahead and get married.

I actually felt a little better after I'd figured that much out. I pushed myself off the couch and made some more coffee. Then I got a pen and notepad and sat down at the dining room table, trying to brainstorm.

After an hour, I was only sure of what I wasn't going to do. I wasn't going to storm into the church, or wherever they planned to hold the wedding, and scream, "He can't marry her! I love him!" or something like that, although the thought did make me smile. It would be the kind of thing that would drive my mother to iron and all of my friends to say 'Yeah, that's Steph for you.'

Hold on, friends? I had friends! And they could help me here! I couldn't tell them the reason why Ranger was getting married, but I could tell them why I had to stop him, right?

I had my finger on the dial pad before I realized I had another problem.

Say I stopped the wedding, then what? I would be back to square one with Ranger since he'd made it clear he didn't want a relationship on several occasions. But more importantly, where would it leave Conchita? Ranger wasn't marrying her to piss me off, but to help her.

I sighed and slumped back in my chair. It wasn't as 'easy' as I had thought. I also had to think of a solution Ranger hadn't come up with. And if I came up with it, I had to tell Ranger to see if it would work and then _he_ could stop the wedding. Damn.

It also occurred to me that I'd never asked then the wedding was scheduled for, so I didn't even know how much time I had. Double damn.

I needed to talk to Conchita. I had to find out who she had been talking to on the phone anyway, since Tank had been very sure her lover was dead. Too bad there was no casual way of asking that kind of question. But if nothing else, I had to get the whole story to find another way of saving her and the baby that didn't involve marrying Ranger.

Then I realized I'd never quit my job as her bodyguard. And Ranger hadn't fired me. As far as I knew, everyone expected me to waltz into RangeMan at 8 AM the next morning. I smiled. All I had to do was to suggest lunch or dinner to her to be alone with her. Then I only had to know what to say and ask to get her version of the truth out of her.

"Be nice about it," I reminded myself as I grabbed my pen to write down my questions and how I could ask them. "Can't bully her," I added as a side note.

I needed her to see me as a friend to confide in and I would start by telling her that I knew everything. I'd known for a day and I was dying to tell someone, Conchita had to be bursting!

'Talk to Ranger' was also on the list, but I didn't know how that was going to happen. Unless he talked to me first and it involved the words 'I'm sorry', I didn't see me talking to him.

After an almost sleepless night, I got up early to shower and style and go over my notes again, I wanted to be prepared.

A knock on the door made me jump. Who would be visiting at seven in the morning? Of course my first thought was Ranger, but he never knocked, he just came in. My family would call that early, but they wouldn't visit, and neither would my friends.

I cautiously squinted through the peep hole at a grinning Lester.

"Hey beautiful," he greeted me when I opened the door. "Rise and shine?"

He looked me up and down. "I see you're already on the 'shine' part."

He handed me tall Styrofoam cup with my favorite purple and orange logo on it as he brushed past me into the apartment.

As usual, he looked hot in his tight black t-shirt and black cargo pants and I was wondering if he'd like me more than casually if I gave him the chance. Why couldn't my life ever be as easy as falling in love with the guy who flirted with me? Of course, I reminded myself, there was a chance in this case that the flirter didn't want anything more than Ranger – to get me into bed – and the flirting would stop right after.

"Thought I'd give you a lift to work today, since we're on the same team," he said, winking at me.

I took a sip from the coffee. "You bribed your way to Conchita duty?" I asked.

"Who me?" Lester had a very convincing innocent look that I was sure he had practiced for a while.

"How much did it cost you?" I asked.

He clasped his hands over his heart and gasped in mock-consternation, then he chuckled. "Not a lot, actually. No one is too keen on being around you two, there's no telling what Ranger would do to the poor schmuck who survives an attack on you!"

I rolled my eyes. Typical Lester-exaggeration. "I hope I can make it worth your while then."

"I have no doubts," he almost whispered, again looking me up and down.

It was my turn to chuckle. "Let's go," I said.

In just a couple of minutes, Lester had made me feel better, for the time being, I could even forget about Ranger and the upcoming 'talk' with Conchita.

"You think we get to go shopping today?" Lester asked me, pretending to be excited, when we pulled out of my parking lot.

"We could go out for breakfast," I retorted.

"About that, Steph…" Lester said. "I didn't meant to, you know…"  
I put my hand on his arm. "It's OK, Lester. He's your boss, I understand."

"I felt bad for just scooting like that," he admitted.

"No worries," I assured him, and I meant it.

Actually, I hadn't had time to think about how fast he'd left the day before. I doubted there was an employee at RangeMan that didn't disappear as fast as possible when Ranger told him to, so I didn't hold that against Lester at all.

"Buy you dinner to make up for it?" he suggested, smiling at me.

"Sounds good," I told him, but I wasn't sure there'd be another date with Lester.

It would all depend on how the next couple of days went, I guessed. I'd think about it later, I decided.

I didn't realize I was holding my breath until we were in the comm. Room on the fifth floor and I realized Ranger wasn't in. Although I needed to talk to him, I was more than willing to postpone that conversation until much, much later.

Hector looked up from behind his monitor when we entered and pointedly looked at the coffee in my hand. "Where's mine, chica?"

It was just like old times. Well, actually, like two days ago, it just seemed ages ago since so much had happened. Already, the date with Lester seemed a week ago. The last kiss with Ranger seemed like something I'd read about, unreal.

I shook my head to clear it before I got carried away reminiscing.

"Have you seen Conchita today?" I asked Hector to say something.

He shook his head and chuckled. "I don't know if you've been up all night or something, but it's not even eight," he said.

"The boss with her on seven?" Lester asked.

"Nope," he grinned. "He's been out running since six." He exchanged a look with Lester that I couldn't quite read and now they were both grinning.

"I'm gonna get breakfast," I said into the uncomfortable silence and disappeared into the break room.

I felt the change more than I heard it. I'd just grabbed a granola bar from the basket on the counter when all conversation in the comm room stopped. At the same time, my whole body tensed because I knew what it meant: Ranger on deck.

Now I had two choices: I could stay right where I was until Ranger moved on to his office or the shower or whatever, or I could confront him and have that conversation with him. The one I didn't want to initiate.

I took a couple of deep breaths, trying to decide, and then I almost jumped when I heard his voice.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?" Ranger said from the doorway.

He was wearing black basketball shorts and a tank top, and both were dripping with sweat.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Now?"

"Come up to seven with me, I'll take a shower and then we can talk. Please, Steph?"

Oh crap, the p-word!

TBC

* * *

A/N: Yes, I know it's a wicked short chapter, but I was so excited I could write again, I wanted to post it brfore the holiday. Do you think Steph should agree to talk to Ranger alone? And should she go with her gut and forgive him?


	24. Trying to drag me down

I have no excuses for how long this update took me. You have no idea how many times I opened the file, just to stare at it without knowing what to do. Worst case of writer's block. And I'm not sure that what I finally came up with was worth the wait, I just didn't want you to think I was abandoning the story.

So if you're reading this, thank you for waiting. Thank you for your wonderful reviews and your patience, never once sending me howlers. Audrey, this is for you!

And a big thank you to Stayce, my editor extraordinaire for all her help!

Thank you to the wonderful authors who inspired this story and gave me permission to use some of their ideas.

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

* * *

Chapter 24

He said 'please'. And I could tell from the look in his eyes that he meant it. I chewed my lip, trying to think. I was afraid to be alone with Ranger, but not because I was afraid of him. Alone with him, I couldn't trust myself. The slightest touch would set off my hormones and I wouldn't be able to stay mad at him, I just knew it. Where was the anger, the resolution to never see him again from a couple of days ago? Just once, I didn't want to just roll over and forgive him, he would have to work for it. Okay, so technically, he'd never done anything that I had to forgive him for, and certainly not on this level, at least as far as he was aware of. He couldn't know he'd hurt me every time he had unknowingly rejected me. Like when he said he loved me, in his way…

It was hopeless; I couldn't stay mad at him. And the line about not trusting him that I had hurled at him? That was all hot air now, too. The only thing left was my pride, and I had every intention of holding onto it.

The communication room had gone so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. The Merry Men were worse gossip mongers than Burg women at the beauty parlor. I could picture them now, leaning over towards the break room so they wouldn't miss a single word. Most likely one of them was transcribing the situation in an email he would send to all the off-duty team members. They didn't know the truth about Ranger and Conchita but they had most likely heard about my date with Lester and a part of me was wondering what they would make out of Ranger's behavior right now.

Seconds ticked by until I realized I hadn't answered Ranger. I'd almost drawn blood on my lip and then my mind had done its procrastination thing and thought about the Merry Men. Ranger was still waiting, but his expression was now almost neutral, as if he was slipping his patented blank face into place in case I refused.

I nodded. "Okay."

Ranger stepped aside to let me pass through the doorway. If I hadn't been so tensed the behavior in the comm room would have made me laugh. I heard a scramble and when I left the break room, the Merry Men were leaning over maps, staring at computer screens, obviously trying to appear busy and not in the least interested in the two people that were passing through to the elevator.

"So talk," I said to end the uncomfortable silence between us as soon as the elevator doors had closed.

Ranger glanced at the security camera in the ceiling corner and then at me. "Upstairs."

Of course. Mental head slap. They would be crowding around the security monitors right now, following our every move.

I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest, studying my shoes and leaning against the opposite wall from Ranger. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Ranger standing completely still. I couldn't tell if he was watching me or not, so I kept my eyes down. It seemed like ages until the doors slid open on seven.

Ranger fobbed the front door open and stepped aside to let me enter first. I tried not to look around obviously for Conchita, but of course Ranger noticed.  
"She's at the gym," he said.

"So talk," I said again when he'd closed the door behind him.

He pulled his t-shirt over his head. "Give me five minutes to take a shower," he said. "Ella brought breakfast, help yourself. I'll be right back."

His voice was so emotionless, it stung.

I watched him disappear through the door to his bedroom and sighed. What the hell did I want? Did I want him to fall to his knees, tears in his eyes, begging for forgiveness?

That image almost made me gag. Did I want him to pin me against the wall, demanding I listen to him, refusing to let me go until I'd heard it all?

I shook my head as I took a seat at the dining table. Apparently, Ella had expected a whole family for breakfast because there were bagels, muffins, coffee cake and a huge bowl of fruit salad, enough to feed at least four people.

Unfortunately, I'd left my appetite downstairs. For once, I was too nervous to eat, so I just poured myself a cup of coffee while I waited for Ranger.

I could hear the shower running and I imagined Ranger, naked, standing in the stream of hot water. It was dripping off his hair onto his shoulders, where it followed the contours of his muscles, over his chest and further down. And then suddenly I was there in my mental picture too, standing in front of Ranger and splaying my hands on his hard abs.

The image was so vivid, I could feel my naked breasts pressing into Ranger's chest.

It was weird, I knew it was a fantasy, but I couldn't drag myself away from it to save my life, as if I was stuck in a dream I couldn't wake up from. Not that I wanted to wake up.

If I could forgive and forget Ranger's betrayal, my anger and pride, that's exactly where I'd want to be. Naked under the shower with him.

I took a deep breath, but it didn't help. The water was still running, giving my imagination all the inspiration it needed.

I closed my eyes and immediately 'saw' Ranger again, pulling me closer to him. I could practically feel his hand on the small of my back, his muscles rippling under the palms of my hands.

My fantasy was interrupted when I bumped my shins against Ranger's bed. Ranger's bed? How the hell did I get here from the kitchen?

I must have wandered during my daydream with my eyes closed, and I bet a shrink would have a field day with where my subconscious took me.

I was still looking incredulously from the doorway to the bed when the bathroom door opened.

Ranger froze, his left hand still on the towel right below his right hip where he must have just been securing it. His hair was still dripping, not as much as it had in my fantasy but enough to make me stare. Sure enough, there was the drop on his shoulder. Was I still daydreaming?

I licked my upper lip before I was aware of it. Ranger's pupils dilated but otherwise he didn't move. I couldn't help staring at him, watching his bare chest move with every breath he took.

What the fuck was wrong with me? I'd seen him naked before, I'd been in his bedroom before, and here I was, paralyzed and barely able to breathe.

"Sorry," I mumbled after what seemed like an eternity but may have been only seconds. I couldn't think of anything to say. Of course I'd later think of a gazillion wisecracks that would have been funny, witty even, but at that moment, my mind was blank. Or rather, elsewhere. I was imagining how the water would taste if I licked it off his chest, to be precise.

Frustrated with my one-track mind, I willed my feet to move.

"Steph," Ranger whispered after I'd managed three steps towards the door. "I still need to talk to you."

I stopped but couldn't look at him. By now I was only a couple of feet away from him and I still didn't trust myself to stay on 'my side'.

To say Ranger looked sexy was an understatement. Every straight woman in the world would have drooled at the sight of him, and I'm pretty sure he would have converted a few lesbians as well. It was just too tempting to go the 'forgiving is divine' route and throw myself at him.

I finally turned, still unable to meet his eyes, and cleared my throat just to make some kind of sound. God knows I didn't know what to say.

"Let me change into something less comfortable," Ranger said and I could hear the smile in his voice. "Then we'll talk."

Talk. Right. That's what we needed to do. Not avoid the confrontation with sex fantasies!

I shook my head to clear it, but kept my eyes off Ranger.

"I'll wait," I finally brought out and forced myself to slowly walk out of his bedroom.

Once I'd sat down on the couch and was able to take a few deep breaths, I was able to think clearer. If the whole scene hadn't been so embarrassing I would have laughed at myself. Really, the things I'd do to get out of a serious talk, even if it was unconsciously! And I was the one who wanted Ranger to talk!

By the time Ranger emerged from the bedroom in his familiar black, I had myself under control.

He sat down on the chair that stood at a right angle to the couch and waited until I looked at him. Our eyes held.

"I was wrong not to tell you," he said.

Whatever 'moment' we'd had in the bedroom was over. Ranger's voice was emotionless and his face was the blank mask. It was impossible to tell if he had no feelings about this or if he just wasn't showing them.

"Yes," I agreed.

"I said I was sorry, and I am. I can't change the past. But I can give you my word it won't happen again."

I swallowed because tears of frustration were threatening to come to the surface. How could he be so…cold? I had to take a deep breath before I trusted my voice.

"You promise you'll never lie to me again?" Okay, that was _something_ to say, I guess, better than just staring at him.

Ranger shook his head almost imperceptibly. "I never lied to you. I just didn't tell you all the facts and you filled in the blanks."

Ever since we'd entered his apartment, I'd been trying to convince myself I could do this, was racking my brain for the right things to say, was doing breathing exercises to stay calm and nothing had worked. With one sentence, Ranger had found the solution: I was angry, going on furious.

Before I knew what I was doing, I jumped up from the couch, but I reined myself in before I threw an Italian tantrum. Ranger had gone beyond hurting my feelings this time, he'd insulted my intelligence.

"Then this conversation is over," I said and it came out all calm and composed, which surprised the hell out of me.

Ranger got up and blocked my way so fast that I bumped into him. I kept my eyes firmly on his chest and I tried to sidestep him, but he held my arms in a tight grip.

"I'm leaving," I said, pointedly looking at his hand. "Let me go."

He dropped his hands, but only to my hips. He didn't hold on tightly anymore either, I could have freed myself easily. And I would have, if it wasn't for the look in his eyes that I caught just as I was about to twist away. Consciously or unconsciously, he'd let down his guard and I was able to see the real Ranger. With feelings.

TBC.

* * *

A/N: I meant to finish the story with this chapter, but Ranger had other ideas. I really hope it's not going to take me anywhere near this long again! What do you think, should Steph make Ranger grovel or give in to her hormones?


	25. Sacrificed his life, just slavin' away

OK, so I'm not sure if anyone remembers me after a year of absence. It wasn't an easy year and it's far from over, but lately, the muse has been poking her head out again and I caught her while I could…I hope you like. Since I last wrote _anything_ a year ago, I apologize that no time has passed in the story but the style may be all different…oops

Thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews and PMs; it was so nice to hear from you, and it helped me a lot

A special MERCI to Stayce and Audrey for not giving up on me! Love you!

Chapter titles are taken from Bon Jovi's "Have a Nice Day!" and they aren't mine, just as JE's characters aren't. Sadly.

Chapter 25

"Steph, don't run away this time," Ranger said softly.

What the hell? When had I ever run? "Since when do I run?" I asked looking up, so surprised that I forgot I couldn't meet his eyes.

There _was_ emotion in his eyes now and his voice had lost some of its coldness as well. Thank God! I was pretty sure I'd never meet Cuban-hot Ranger, not sure if he even existed, but the complete lack of emotion was something I never wanted to experience again, it was scary.

Ranger took a deep breath and motioned to the couch. "Let's try this talk thing one more time?"

Here's the thing, as much as I wanted to storm out because my feelings were hurt, I was also dying to find out the whole story. And leaving right now would leave me just as clueless as before, so probably it wasn't a bad idea to stay.

Ranger dropped his hands from my hips as I turned and I walked the short distance back to sit down.

"Okay," I said. "Let's compromise on you lied by omission and take it from there."

That's what it really was, so I could live with that.

Ranger went into the kitchen and returned with two mugs of coffee. He handed me one of the cups and sat back down in the same chair.

"Okay," he said. "I'm sorry you feel I lied to you. I meant it then and I mean it now- I never wanted to hurt you."

I looked at Ranger then and I knew apologies don't come much more sincere than his. His eyes bored into mine and I thought I could see the hope that I'd accept his apology.

"Tank said you needed me to believe the lie," I said, taking a sip from my coffee. "So that I'd be a credible witness."

"That's one of the reasons, yes," Ranger confirmed. "But the main reason was much simpler: I wanted to keep you as safe as possible."

"And not telling me the engagement was a smokescreen would have put me in danger how?" I asked.

I was tired of hearing about my safety; how come both Ranger and Tank believed ignorance was safe? Or rather, how could they expect me to believe that?

Ranger didn't break our eye contact. "You are in danger because you know me. If you'd been kidnapped or, for lack of a better word, interrogated, you were better off not knowing I'm getting married to save an unborn child."

Yeah, OK, so that made sense actually. I wasn't like Tank or any of the Merry Men, I wasn't sure how long I could keep any secrets under pain. I could almost buy it, but…

"Let's assume I agree with that, why was that no longer relevant Saturday morning all of a sudden?"

I could tell Ranger was thinking about his answer, there was a muscle working in his jaw before he took a deep breath.

"I thought maybe you went out with Santos because you thought I didn't care."

I hadn't seen that coming. Nor did I have a comeback for it. I _had_ thought Ranger didn't want me and that was exactly why I'd agreed to go on a date with Lester but I thought I'd die before I admitted that to Ranger!

"What does Lester have to do with anything?" I asked.

Okay, so I thought I knew what Ranger was saying, but I wanted him to admit that…well, I wasn't sure exactly what. That he cared about me? That he was as jealous of Lester as I had been of Conchita? That he loved me like the Merry Men were convinced he did?

I just had a feeling Ranger was as vulnerable as he'd get and this was the time to dig deeper.

"You never went out with him before I got engaged," Ranger said.

Well, as long as we were going with the truth here, I decided to be open. "That's because Lester was sure you had feelings for me and didn't want to invade on your territory."

"He said that?" Ranger asked surprised.

"I'm paraphrasing," I said. "But yes, that was the gist of it. When you got engaged, he figured he was wrong and that I was available."

"And are you?" Ranger wanted to know.

"You know I'm single," I said.

He got up and sat down next to me on the couch. "That was not the question," he said.

"Let me ask _you_ a question first," I said. "Are you still engaged and will you marry Conchita?"

He was quiet for a long moment, just watching me. Then he almost imperceptibly lowered his head, and to me it seemed like such a defeated gesture coming from Ranger.

"Yes," he said softly.

I remembered my resolution from the night before and decided to forget about my pride and be completely honest.

"No, you're not," I said a lot more resolutely than I felt. "There has to be another way."

When Ranger didn't react I lost a little of my bravado though.

"That is, unless you want to?" I hated how insecure I sounded and hoped Ranger didn't pick up on it.

Now a small smile played around his lips. "Is this still about me lying to you or did you move on to cancelling my wedding?"

It wasn't a smug smile, I would have made him eat that, but I'm sure he didn't mean it to look as hopeful as it seemed to me.

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Silly, I know, but I just couldn't look at him while I said, "I don't want you to marry Conchita. Not even if I know you're not really marrying her."

I flinched when I suddenly felt Ranger's hands on either side of my face. He was slowly running his thumb over my lips as my eyelids fluttered open.

"Why Steph?" he almost whispered.

Here was my chance to tell him the whole truth: I didn't want him to get married at all, but if he absolutely had to, I wanted him to marry me. Why? Because I loved him and I couldn't stand the thought of another woman touching him.

I took a deep breath, trying to come up with a version of the truth that sounded less than a bodice ripper novella.

Ranger brushed his lips over mine, which didn't make it easier to sort my thoughts.

TBC.

A/N: Yes, I know it's short, but that's because it's interactive – You decide, majority rules. Should Steph swallow her pride and tell Ranger how she feels or should she cover it up and pretend friends help each other out?


End file.
